SNP politician quits as council leader over sexual harassment allegations

An SNP council leader has resigned after allegations he groped and sexually harassed a teenager while at a party emerged.

Jordan Linden has quit the post after just two months in charge in North Lanarkshire Council, and said he accepted his behaviour “caused a sense of discomfort which I entirely regret”.

It comes after the Sunday Mail newspaper reported allegations that the 27-year-old made unwanted advances towards a teenager at a flat in Dundee after a Pride event in the city.

Linden was nominated for selection to be a candidate in the Westminster election but, four days after the alleged incident in 2019, he announced publicly he would not be standing, the newspaper said.

In an email to his SNP colleagues, the politician told them on Wednesday he was resigning from his position.

He said: “Although I have never approached any personal interaction with ill intent, I accept that my behaviour at that party in 2019 caused a sense of discomfort which I entirely regret.

“I offered my apologies to the person concerned at the time and the matter was closed.

“I reiterate that apology today. And in all that’s been said in recent days, the empathetic words from that individual have given me the most reassurance.

“The recent press coverage of this has placed an immense strain on me personally.

“My mental health and wellbeing is being seriously affected, and the impact it is having is profound.

“This is, foremost, in my consideration about my future, as well as the interests of my partner, family and those closest to me. By resigning, I hope to be allowed the space to get my mental health back in balance.

“I have no wish for my personal circumstances to overshadow the work of the political administration of the council as it implements the manifesto on which it was elected in May.

“The council carries out extremely important work every day for people across the whole of North Lanarkshire and it is vital that there is no distraction, particularly at a time when many of the people we represent face unprecedented cost of living pressures and daily challenges.

“It has been the privilege of my life to serve in this role, and I remain proud that I was able to lead the Scottish National Party to administration in North Lanarkshire for the first time.

“I intend to continue to represent the people of Bellshill to the very best of my ability as a councillor, as I have done since first being elected in 2017. The privilege of representing my home town continues to be incredibly special to me.”

Councillor Linden, who was installed as the head of North Lanarkshire Council after May’s elections, had faced growing calls for his resignation.

A spokesman for the authority said: “We can confirm that the chief executive has received a letter from councillor Jordan Linden resigning his role as leader of the council.

“A new leader will be elected at a meeting of the council to be held in due course.”

Scottish Labour’s Neil Bibby said: “This resignation was the right thing to do, but it doesn’t fix the rotten culture of secrecy and cover-up at the heart of the SNP.

“His apology makes it all the more appalling that the SNP hierarchy were so willing to close ranks to protect him.

“The SNP cannot keep looking the other way and letting their scandal-hit politicians call the shots.”

A SNP spokesman said: “The individual made clear to the SNP that the matter was resolved, and he would not be making a complaint.”