First Minister Issues Apology to Victims of Former Council Leader
SNP leader John Swinney has expressed his apology to the victims of Jordan Linden, a former council leader convicted of sexually assaulting young men. The First Minister conveyed his regret to anyone affected by Linden's actions during his tenure as the SNP leader of North Lanarkshire Council.
Linden, aged 30, was recently found guilty at Falkirk Sheriff Court of sexually assaulting young males and sending explicit messages to boys as young as 14 years old.
In response to allegations that complaints about Linden were overlooked by the party, Swinney commissioned an independent review of the SNP's complaints handling procedures.
"For anybody who has suffered as a consequence of the behaviour of Jordan Linden, I'm very, very, sorry for what they have experienced."
"I want to make sure the SNP has the strongest possible complaints handling process in place in all circumstances."
The SNP leader acknowledged that while the party's complaints process underwent a review in 2022, he now seeks to implement "some independent scrutiny" to ensure the robustness of the procedures.
He emphasized the importance of having "the strongest arrangements in place" to address any misconduct within the party.
"The SNP has an effective process to scrutinise any poor behaviour, any abusive behaviour, and we will review that to make sure that it is appropriate for all the circumstances that we may face."
Furthermore, Swinney highlighted the necessity of attentively listening to the experiences of complainants and expressed his willingness to meet with Linden's victims personally.
Reactions from SNP Leadership and Council Members
Stephen Flynn, the SNP's Westminster leader, previously described his reaction to Linden's progression within the party as one of "absolute horror" and expressed anger on behalf of the victims.
Cameron McManus, a North Lanarkshire councillor who had reported complaints against Linden, criticized the SNP's handling of the situation as "horrendously" managed.
"They've tried to avoid the situation, downplay it, and call myself and quite a lot of the other victims liars."
"I know personally some of the other victims that came forward and made the SNP aware of it."
Details of Offences and Court Proceedings
Linden's offences spanned a decade, occurring between 2011 and 2021. During the trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court, victims recounted various assaults and unwanted advances perpetrated by Linden.
Additional charges included sending explicit photographs of himself in a bath and images of his genitalia to minors.
One reported incident took place in 2019 after a Dundee Pride parade associated with Out For Independence, the LGBT wing of the SNP.
The court heard testimony from a party official who stated that Linden had confined him in a bathroom and attempted to coerce him into urinating while being observed.
Another witness described an incident during a trip to Barcelona with Young Scots for Independence, the SNP's youth wing, where Linden allegedly entered his hostel bed and initiated unwanted physical contact and attempted kissing.
Political Career and Resignation
Linden was elected as an SNP councillor the year following the start of his offences and advanced to become the leader of North Lanarkshire Council in 2022. He resigned from this position shortly after the allegations surfaced.
Throughout the trial, Linden denied all charges, asserting that the incidents either did not occur or were consensual.
Many of the offences took place while Linden served as chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, which condemned his actions as "reprehensible and diametrically opposed" to its values.
Last Thursday, Linden was placed on the sex offenders register and released on bail pending sentencing scheduled for 5 May.
