SNP MP Patricia Gibson has been cleared of sexual harassment.
The party’s housing spokesperson was being investigated by Westminster’s sleaze watchdog after being accused of making inappropriate comments to a male member of staff in a Commons bar in January 2020.
The North Ayrshire and Arran MP had always denied the allegation, describing it as “malicious.”
However, initially, the complaint to parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme was upheld by the Standards Commissioner.
It was then overturned by the Independent Expert Panel. The full report is expected to be published tomorrow.
The man who complained about Ms Gibson was also the young SNP staff member who was the target of an “unwanted sexual advance” from Patrick Grady.
READ MORE: Blackford to face angry SNP MPs as Grady harassment case fallout mounts
That complaint was upheld, with the Glasgow North MP given a two-day ban from the Commons.
The man, who was just 19 at the time of the incident in 2016, has since raised the possibility of legal action against the party.
However, according to the Sun, he is now unable to speak out as he has signed a non-disclosure agreement.
He told the paper: "I would like to talk about this however, I have been forced to sign an NDA.”
The SNP has been approached for comment.
The fallout from the panel's report into Mr Grady's behaviour has left party's Westminster group in turmoil.
Ian Blackford’s authority as leader is in tatters. He has faced calls to step down after a recording was leaked to the press of him telling his group they should give Mr Grady their “full support”.
At the same meeting, SNP MP Amy Callaghan and colleague Marion Fellows also threw their weight behind Mr Grady.
Ms Callaghan told the group: “I think we should be rallying together for this campaign, but also regardless of our position on Patrick’s situation, we should be rallying together around him to support him at this time as well."
In a statement posted on Twitter on Monday afternoon she apologised.
“This can and should only start with a wholehearted apology to anyone – especially survivors of harassment – who has been hurt or triggered as a result of this week,” she wrote.
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