Embattled SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford raised a Welsh politician’s suicide when pressed on the scandal of sex pest MP Patrick Grady.
Blackford mentioned the Carl Sargeant tragedy when making a point that he had responsibilities for his own MPs as well as staff.
He also said he wanted to meet the victim in the Grady case.
READ MORE: SNP staff member called sex pest Patrick Grady's victim 'fantasist' with drink problem during probe
The MP is under huge pressure after Grady, the MP for Glasgow North, was found guilty of sexual misconduct in a London bar in 2016.
Grady made unwanted sexual advances on a 19 year old man and was suspended from the Commons for two days.
A leaked recording of an SNP group meeting showed Blackford urging colleagues to give Grady “absolute” support, while saying nothing about the victim. He later apologised.
In a BBC Scotland interview, he said: “I take my responsibilities of leadership within the group. I give the highest importance to that and within all of that, the responsibilities that I have for staff.
“One of the first things I did when I became Westminster leader five years ago is make sure at that point that we reviewed all the processes, review the staff handbook, reviewed the governance of staff matters.
“I place an absolute priority in making sure that I maintain good relationships with the staff.”
Despite the victim blasting his handling of the case, Blackford said: “Just as the First Minister has indicated today that she has a willingness to meet with the complainant, as I will do too.”
“If the complainant feels aggrieved then I am sorry for that. It's important that we sit down, we listen, and we learn any lessons that have to be addressed.”
He added: “But I also have a responsibility to the MP group as well. I have to discharge pastoral care. Now, of course, I regret the fact that the discussion took place the way that it did, and I indicated that in a statement that I released earlier on this week.”
He then alluded to the case of Sargeant, who took his own life after being accused of serious conduct issues: “These are very difficult circumstances. Let's not forget that it's not that long ago that a member of the Welsh Parliament committed suicide on the back of an incident not so dissimilar from this, and it's important that I discharge all of my responsibilities.
“But first and foremost, primarily, my responsibility is to the victim. Let me make that clear."
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