SNP MP: TOO DRUNK TO RECALL WHAT SHE DID

As defences go, 'too drunk to recall' is quite the defence as SNP front bencher Patricia Gibson wins her IEP appeal

Jun 23, 2022

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Patricia Gibson has won her appeal against a House of Commons watchdog which had initially upheld an allegation of sexual misconduct. But while Ms Gibson has been cleared, there remain questions for the Scottish National Party to answer.

The case of alleged sexual misconduct by SNP MP Patricia Gibson has taken another step toward closure today, as the Independent Expert Panel publishes its report. Initially the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards had decided to uphold a complaint of sexual misconduct against the MP. But the the House of Commons Independent Expert Panel (IEP) has upheld Ms Gibson’s appeal.

In January 2020 Ms Gibson was alleged to have made inappropriate comments to a male staffer in the Westminster Strangers’ Bar. The complainant in Ms Gibson’s case is the victim of shamed SNP sleaze Patrick Grady, MP.

Patricia Gibson denied any wrongdoing throughout, labelling the allegations as “malicious”. The SNP MP for North Ayrshire and Arran even threatened newspapers if they dared to identify her by name:

“I would remind you of the seriousness of these allegations and your obligation to act responsibly before naming me in any story, particularly where the allegation is not true and there are significant doubts about the source of it.”1

Yet while Ms Gibson was threatening newspapers with legal action, the Standards Commissioner would go on to uphold an allegation of sexual misconduct by the MP2

The Standards Commissioner found:

2.10 “In summary, the Commissioner concluded that: On the balance of probabilities, relying on the complainant's evidence, and the corroborating evidence of [two witnesses], I am satisfied that [the respondent] did touch the complainant repeatedly over an extended period.” And that the respondent’s “touching of the complainant did involve a form of contact that could be reasonably described as "stroking"”.”
2.11 “Although none of the witnesses heard the respondent ask the complainant to “come home and shag me”, the Commissioner concluded that she was “satisfied that the [respondent] did proposition the complainant in the way described in the bar and that her later comments at the taxi were a continuation of that conduct.””3

And despite the allegations unfolding, the Commons watchdog upholding the allegation - the SNP would promote Ms Gibson to the frontbench to serve as Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government in February 2021.

It remains unanswered why the SNP decided that an MP who laboured under such clouds of impropriety at the time deserved a promotion.

And while Ms Gibson has now succeeded in overturning that Westminster watchdog decision to uphold a complaint against her, there remain plenty of unanswered questions. Not least the fact that the MP has admitted to being too drunk to recall how she acted with staffer4. This admission by the MP sits uncomfortably with her initial denials, where she claimed the allegations were “malicious” and “not true”.

Indeed the IEP reports that she was alleged to have asked the young staffer to “come home and shag me”. Furthermore, according to the allegation the MP repeatedly propositioned him in this way in the Stranger’s Bar. It was even alleged that later that night she tried to pull him into a taxi with her.

While the IEP has upheld the SNP MPs appeal, the fact remains Ms Gibson by her own admission was too drunk while in the House of Commons Strangers’ Bar to properly recall what she is alleged to have said. According to the IEP report,

“Her [Ms Gibson] evidence was (in essence) that she was intoxicated, and therefore unable confidently to recall her exact words and actions. The respondent asserted, however, that she would not have stroked the complainant in the manner alleged and would never have used the word “shag”, nor would she have propositioned the complainant.”5

Too drunk to recall what she said or did, but still insisting that despite that it never happened. That is quite the defence, especially since this all allegedly took place inside the House of Commons - her place of employment.

Furthermore, while the IEP has upheld her appeal, another curious point of interest should be observed. According to the complainant, he would like to talk publicly about this whole affair, but has been prevented from doing so, stating

“I would like to talk about this however, I have been forced to sign an NDA”6

The complainant - who has had an allegation against shamed sleaze Patrick Grady, SNP MP for Glasgow North upheld - is now reportedly struggling amid a lack of appropriate support. There are reports of him receiving the “silent treatment” from SNP party bosses. Indeed the party Westminster leader Ian Blackford has been caught on tape urging SNP MPs to back Patrick Grady - a shamed sleaze suspended from parliament due to his misconduct against the victim7.

SHAMED SLEAZE PATRICK GRADY APOLOGISED FOR HIS MISCONDUCT

Nicola Sturgeon, SNP leader, has herself condemned Ian Blackford for his “utterly unacceptable” comments where he urged Nat MPs to defend shamed Grady. But Ms Sturgeon’s stern condemnation of Blackford is somewhat undercut by dint of the fact she claims to know nothing about anything8 and doesn’t believe Blackford should resign either9.

So, here we have a complainant who has had an allegation against Grady upheld, who says a non-disclosure agreement is muzzling him in the case of Gibson, has also been punished by SNP bosses. Meanwhile the SNP leader absolves herself of all responsibility. This must all surely raise urgent and serious questions about SNP internal handling procedures for allegations of sexual misconduct.

Political staffers should not be placed in a situation where those in positions of authority over them behave inappropriately.

What a sorry state the governing party of Scotland has landed itself in. In the case of Patricia Gibson - despite her successful appeal - confesses being too drunk to fully or properly recall her own actions and words against a young staffer. All in a bar inside her place of work, where it is her job to represent her constituents. ‘Too drunk to recall’? Quite the defence Ms Gibson. Meanwhile Patrick Grady remains an MP and has received the warm support of the SNP Westminster group leader. Nicola Sturgeon does not believe anyone should resign over anything. And the complainant? Left to struggle without adequate support, silenced in regards to one case under an NDA muzzle and indifference regarding the other case by party bigwigs.

Kieran Andrews (2021, April 22), ‘Don’t identify me, sex claim MP Patricia Gibson warned newspapers’, The Times, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dont-identify-me-sex-claim-mp-patricia-gibson-warned-newspapers-p2fck9bjn

John Boothman (2022, April 16), ‘Sexual harassment complaints against SNP MPs are upheld’, The Times, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sexual-harassment-complaints-against-snp-mps-are-upheld-dlb7dfwjf

Independent Expert Panel (IEP), ‘The Conduct of Ms Patricia Gibson MP’, Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 23 June 2022, https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/mps-lords--offices/standards-and-financial-interests/independent-expert-panel/hc-505---the-conduct-of-ms-patricia-gibson-mp.pdf

Chris Musson (2022, June 23), ‘SNP’s Patricia Gibson admits she was too drunk to recall how she acted with staffer who accused her of sexual harassment’, The Scottish Sun, https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/9056493/patricia-gibson-drunk-staffer-sexual-harassment/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebarweb

Chris Musson (2022, June 21), ‘NAT MP cleared of sexually harassing shamed sleaze Patrick Grady’s young victim’, The Scottish Sun, https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/9047325/nat-mp-cleared-of-sexually-harassing-young-victim/

Chris Musson, Harry Williamson, (2022, June 18), ‘Bombshell recording of SNP MPs backing shamed ex chief whip Patrick Grady revealed’, The Scottish Sun, https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/9032435/snp-mps-applauding-support-patrick-grady/

Paul Hutcheon, (2022, May 1), ‘Nicola Sturgeon won't 'shy away' from taking action against sexual harassment by figures in the SNP’, The Daily Record, https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/nicola-sturgeon-wont-shy-away-26842866?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

Tom Gordon, (2022, April 23), ‘Nicola Sturgeon backs Ian Blackford over 'utterly unacceptable' leaked comments’, The Herald, https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/20231116.nicola-sturgeon-backs-ian-blackford-utterly-unacceptable-leaked-comments/

Dean M Thomson

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