SNP candidate ditched over handling of sex assault complaints

An SNP election candidate has been dropped over her handling of complaints of sexual assault against a former council leader.

It comes just hours after First Minister John Swinney said the SNP’s selected candidates “will go forward for election”.

Tracy Carragher, leader of the SNP group on North Lanarkshire Council, was urged to step down over her handling of sexual assault allegations against former council leader Jordan Linden.

Linden was convicted of ten separate offences following a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court. The convictions included five sexual assaults.

Glasgow & West

Former SNP politician sexually assaulted five young men and boys

Jordan Linden, 30, is the former leader of North Lanarkshire Council and of the Scottish Youth Parliament

Carragher, was a list candidate for Central Scotland at the May election, and faced calls to resign after audio clips from a 2022 meeting were made public in which she voiced support for Linden after reports of his crimes.

She has now been suspended by the SNP and ditched as a candidate.

A statement from an SNP spokesperson said: “In light of ongoing allegations regarding the handling of matters within the North Lanarkshire Council SNP group in relation to Jordan Linden, the national secretary has suspended councillor Carragher pending an investigation.

“This means she will no longer be an SNP candidate in the forthcoming elections or leader of the SNP group on the council. We take this issue seriously and the voices of complainants must always be heard.”

Swinney has announced an independent review of the SNP’s complaints process.

Speaking on Wednesday, Swinney said: “It’s really important that in all of these situations, we listen to the voices of those who complain and that we address those issues, and that’s exactly the approach that the SNP is taking.

“The review that I have set out will explore and examine all the ways in which these issues have been handled and those issues will be resolved by the SNP.”

When asked if he had confidence in Carragher, Swinney responded: “The party selected its candidates and its candidates will go forward for election.”