A Scottish international development charity has responded to criticism after it appointed a former MP who was previously suspended for sexual misconduct to a senior role.
Patrick Grady, who represented Glasgow North for the Scottish National Party until July 2024, joined Scotland’s International Development Alliance (SIDA) as head of policy and communications in December.
Grady, who was the party’s former chief whip at Westminster, stood down from his role in March 2021 after the SNP received a complaint of sexual misconduct by an SNP staffer, who was reportedly a teenager at the time when the incident took place in 2016.
The staffer subsequently complained to Westminster’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Service, which later found that Grady had made “unwanted sexual advances”.
Grady apologised to the public, as well as to the staffer privately, and was suspended from parliament for two days following the investigation.
He also suspended his SNP membership in 2022, although this was reinstated in December of the same year.
Grady left parliament following the general election in July last year and was appointed head of policy and communications at SIDA in December.
Victim finds appointment ‘troubling’
The staffer previously targeted by Grady told Scottish newspaper the Sunday Post that they found his appointment by SIDA “troubling”.
They told the newspaper: “Employing someone with a documented history of inappropriate behaviour towards teenage colleagues sends a troubling message about how seriously they take safeguarding and accountability.
“Their decision to employ Patrick Grady calls into question the integrity of their leadership and their commitment to upholding the values they claim to represent.”
The charity lists as one of its values: “We strive to ensure that those we work with are safe from abuse in any form, by aiming for the highest standards of safeguarding policy and practice.”
SIDA: ‘We take our safeguarding responsibilities very seriously’
Grady’s appointment was not publicly announced by the charity in December, but the former MP is now included on its list of staff.
SIDA provides support for other groups working in international development in Scotland and gets much of its core funding from the Scottish government.
Grady’s entry on the website reads: “As head of policy and communications, Patrick works with members and external stakeholders, acting on opportunities for influence, and leading influencing and communications with key audiences.
“He is also responsible for SIDA’s communications strategy with a focus on encouraging greater interaction with members and raising awareness of global citizenship with the wider public.”
A spokesperson for SIDA said: “All staff at Scotland’s International Development Alliance are recruited following an open, competitive and robust recruitment process which includes safeguarding checks.
“SIDA takes its safeguarding responsibilities very seriously and will continue to do so.”
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