Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell 'told of Linden complaints a decade ago'

Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell was personally told about sexual misconduct complaints against predator Jordan Linden a decade ago, it has been claimed.

Amy Lee Fraioli, who was chairwoman of the Scottish Youth Parliament in 2017, said Mr Murrell was informed of the allegations while they were being probed in 2016.

The revelations come as the SNP continues to face questions over why the party ignored multiple warnings over Linden’s conduct and chose instead to promote him to North Lanarkshire Council leader.

Opposition politicians said Ms Fraioli’s account casts doubt on First Minister John Swinney’s claims not to have known anything about Linden’s conduct, despite Mr Swinney’s seniority within the SNP and allegiance with Mr Murrell and his wife Nicola Sturgeon at the time.

Scottish Conservative MSP Meghan Gallacher said: ‘Those at the very top of the SNP were informed of their former rising star’s predatory behaviour a decade ago and yet they spent years stonewalling complaints and gaslighting his victims.’

Ms Fraioli was a teenage member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) board in 2016 and became chairwoman in 2017.

During that time the organisation received a number of complaints about young SYP members being sent sexual images from Linden.

Instead of alerting police, the organisation, under the leadership of then chief executive Ben McKendrick, 47, chose to bring in a private law firm to investigate the complainants.

Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon's ex-husband and former SNP chief executive, is said to have been personally told by the SYP about Linden's conduct a decade ago

Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon's ex-husband and former SNP chief executive, is said to have been personally told by the SYP about Linden's conduct a decade ago

Linden speaking at the SNP conference in 2019 a month after attacking two party members

Linden speaking at the SNP conference in 2019 a month after attacking two party members

However, the firm found no evidence of crimes and Linden later used this probe to say he had been ‘cleared’ of wrongdoing.

Ms Fraioli, 27, said: ‘At the time we were based on the ground floor of Gordon Lamb house in Edinburgh, and the SNP were the floor above. At that point Jordan worked for the MSP Richard Lyle. He was also a member of the SNP and [SNP youth wing] Young Scots for Independence.

‘As a board, we had a conversation and Ben McKendrick decided that he had to go upstairs and speak to Peter Murrell and tell him that we were going to conduct this investigation into Jordan and the complaints. That took place.

‘He went up and he spoke to Peter Murrell, he informed him of the investigation and the fact that it was taking place at that time in 2016.

‘Ben put it to us that that was something he wanted to do and he reported back to us on the fact that he had done it. So the SNP were aware even then that there were allegations against Jordan.’

In 2017, Linden became an elected councillor, representing Uddingston and Bellshill at North Lanarkshire Council. He continued working for Mr Lyle until 2021 and also interned for MP Marion Fellows. In May 2022 he became North Lanarkshire leader.

Ms Gallacher added: ‘This revelation underlines the length and scale of the SNP’s betrayal of Linden’s victims.

‘It also casts further doubt on John Swinney’s protestation that he knew nothing about the Linden scandal until it entered the public domain several years later.

‘If Swinney thinks belatedly sacking an SNP candidate who defended Linden will make this go away, he’s wrong. He and his party still have serious questions to answer.’

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: ‘If it is the case that Peter Murrell knew about these complaints, it confirms that Linden’s behaviour has been known about at the most senior level of the SNP for a decade, yet it took the brave reporting of journalists to expose this vile predator.

‘Swinney has been at the heart of this SNP government for 19 years. It seems inconceivable that he simply had no idea about what was going on within the party that has been his entire life.

‘He must make a televised statement setting out exactly what he knew and when.

‘It is not good enough to hide behind process and kick the can down the road by waiting on an independent review into the SNP’s complaints process.’

A spokesman for the SNP did not directly address Ms Fraioli’s claims yesterday.

But he said: ‘We have undertaken a comprehensive review of our complaints procedures since 2016, but in light of this case the party leader, John Swinney, has instructed that an independent review of these procedures be conducted.

‘This will ensure that people are protected and our complaints procedures are as robust as they can be.

‘More generally, the SNP welcomes the verdict against Mr Linden and commends the bravery of the individuals who came forward and shared their experiences with the police.’

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