Patrick Grady | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2019 | |
|
Chief Whip of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons | |
| In office 9 June 2017 – 9 March 2021 | |
| Leader | Ian Blackford |
| Preceded by | Michael Weir |
| Succeeded by | Owen Thompson |
|
Member of Parliament for Glasgow North | |
| In office 7 May 2015 – 30 May 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Ann McKechin |
| Succeeded by | TBC |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Patrick John Grady 5 February 1980 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Political party | Scottish National Party (since 1997) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (2022) |
| Alma mater | University of Strathclyde |
Patrick John Grady (born 5 February 1980) is a Scottish politician. [1] He was elected at the 2015 UK general election as the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow North. [2] He was re-elected in 2017 and in 2019. Following the dissolution of parliament in advance of the 2024, he is no longer a Member of Parliament.
Early life
Grady was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was brought up in Inverness and was educated at Inverness Royal Academy, before attending the University of Strathclyde. [3] Between 2011 and 2015, he worked as an advocacy manager for the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, and has also lived and worked in London and Malawi.
Political career
After joining the Scottish National Party in 1997, aged seventeen, Grady stood at the 2010 general election as the SNP candidate for Glasgow North. [4] In 2012, he was elected as National Secretary of the SNP until he stood down in 2016. [4] He headed the "Yes" campaign in the Kelvin area of Glasgow during the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence. [5]
After being elected to the House of Commons, Grady was appointed as SNP Westminster Spokesperson on International Development and was a member of the House of Commons Procedure Committee until the 2017 election. [6] Like several SNP MPs and MSPs, he also holds membership of Plaid Cymru, although this has no formal effect in the House of Commons. [7] After the 2017 election, he was appointed as Chief Whip of the SNP Westminster Group, and was re-appointed to this role after the 2019 election. [8]
In March 2021, Grady stood aside from his position as Chief Whip following the SNP confirming it had received a complaint of sexual misconduct by an SNP staff member. [9] [10] [11] [12]
On 26 June 2022, he temporarily suspended his membership of the Scottish National Party (SNP), sitting as an independent MP [13]. He resumed his membership of the SNP Westminster Group on 29 December 2022 at the conclusion of a period of suspension imposed by the SNP's Member Conduct Committee. [14]
Recipient of offensive communications
In December 2021, a woman was convicted of an offence under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 after a sheriff determined that emails that she sent to Grady in February 2021 were grossly offensive. [15]
Alleged Breach of UK Parliament's Sexual Misconduct Policy
In June 2022, the Commissioner for Standards concluded Grady had breached sexual misconduct policy upholding a complaint that he had made "an unwanted sexual advance" to a junior member of staff by stroking their hair, neck and back. The report stated "The distinction in age, status and authority between him and the respondent is obvious and forms a key aggravating factor in the case." [16] [17] In the same month, a report from the Independent Expert Panel published advice that Grady should be suspended from the House of Commons. [18]
On 26 June 2022 it was announced that the Metropolitan Police had received an allegation against him of sexual assault. The SNP announced that he would step away from his party membership while this matter was dealt with. [13] On 3 July 2022, the Metropolitan Police announced that following discussions with the staff member, they would take no further action. [19]
References
- ^ "House Of Commons contact details for Patrick Grady MP". Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- ^ Profile, bbc.co.uk; accessed 8 May 2015.
- ^ Leask, David (1 June 2015). "Analysis: SNP bucks trend for privately educated MPs". The Herald. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Patrick Grady". The SNP. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ Braiden, Gerry (18 September 2014). "Key battlegrounds: Glasgow". The Herald. Newsquest. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ "Patrick Grady MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ "I sit on the SNP benches, but I'm a Plaid Cymru member too - Grady". BBC News. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ "Patrick Grady MP, Glasgow North - TheyWorkForYou". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "SNP chief whip steps aside following harassment complaint". BBC News. 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Sturgeon 'aware of a concern' about MP Patrick Grady". BBC News. 15 March 2021.
- ^ "Patrick Grady stands down as SNP chief whip 'amid sexual harassment allegations'". Belfasttelegraph – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
- ^ Barrie, Douglas (10 March 2021). "Patrick Grady stands down as SNP chief whip 'amid sexual harassment allegations'". www.standard.co.uk.
- ^ a b "Patrick Grady to step away from SNP membership over allegations". BBC News. 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
- ^ "MP has SNP whip restored following misconduct ban". BBC News. 29 December 2022.
- ^ Skilling, Mitchell (6 December 2021). "Sheriff Appeal Court refuses appeal by Glasgow woman convicted of sending offensive emails to SNP MP". Scottish Legal News.
- ^ Sanderson, Daniel (14 June 2022). "SNP MP Patrick Grady should be suspended for sexual misconduct, report recommends". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
- ^ SNP MP Patrick Grady faces Commons suspension for sexual misconduct BBC News
- ^ Sanderson, Daniel (14 June 2022). "SNP MP Patrick Grady should be suspended for sexual misconduct, report recommends". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ "Police drop probe into Patrick Grady harassment allegations". BBC News. 3 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
External links
- 1980 births
- Alumni of the University of Strathclyde
- Living people
- Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Glasgow constituencies
- People educated at Inverness Royal Academy
- Politicians from Edinburgh
- Politicians from Inverness
- Scottish National Party MPs
- UK MPs 2015–2017
- UK MPs 2017–2019
- UK MPs 2019–2024