One rule for them and another for everyone else, says Sarwar of SNP

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has accused the SNP of having “one rule for themselves and another for everybody else” in dealing with allegations of misconduct.

The SNP has been embroiled in a controversy over former North Lanarkshire Council leader Jordan Linden, who was convicted last month of 10 offences, including five sexual assaults.

The party has launched an independent review of its complaints process and suspended one of its candidates – former North Lanarkshire group leader Tracy Carragher – over allegations she never passed on complaints about Linden.

But questions continue to be raised about senior members of the party and their knowledge of allegations against Linden, with Health Secretary Neil Gray – a senior member of the party in North Lanarkshire – denying knowledge and reports surfacing on Monday that former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell was told of his behaviour in 2016.

Speaking to journalists in Glasgow on Monday, Anas Sarwar drew parallels between the action he took against former Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy – who was sacked by the party after her ongoing friendship with convicted paedophile Sean Morton came to light.

Ms Duncan Glancy was withdrawn as a Labour candidate immediately following the reports but kept the party whip for some weeks before pressure led to it being stripped.

The Scottish Labour leader also hit out at SNP candidate Kirsten Oswald, who was the party’s deputy Westminster leader when allegations against former MP Patrick Grady surfaced.

“If you look at the double standards in the comments they were making about Pam Duncan-Glancy and what we are now seeing in relation to Kirsten Oswald, Neil Gray or others, look at the difference in approach,” he said.

“When something is flagged to me, I take action.

“When something’s flagged to the SNP, they try to cover it up and they put protection of the institution and the individual and the leadership before what’s right by the country, until it gets too much pressure, they have to take some action.

“They set up a process and they hope the story goes away – that’s what happens time after time after time.”

Mr Sarwar added: “Judge them on the actions – why do they have one rule for everybody else and a different rule for them? One standard for everybody else, a different standard for them.”

Speaking to the Press Association on Monday during a visit to Whitelee Wind Farm in East Renfrewshire, First Minister John Swinney said he had “no information about the substance” of reports that Murrell – who has been charged with embezzling £459,000 from the party and is due in court again on May 25 – was aware of allegations against Linden.

He added: “What I would say is that the SNP has reviewed its complaints handling process, I have asked for some independent scrutiny of that complaints handling process to make sure it is effective and appropriate for our times because whenever somebody’s got a complaint or a concern about somebody’s behaviour it should be acted upon properly.

“I’m confident that is the case in the SNP today and that’s what I intend to make sure is the case in the future.”