Kate Forbes has defended Ian Blackford as pressure mounts on the SNP leader at Westminster over his handling of complaints made against a party MP.
Forbes, the Holyrood finance secretary and a close ally of Nicola Sturgeon, today admitted "lessons do need to be learned" after Patrick Grady was found by Commons authorities of behaving inappropriately towards a staffer.
The victim, who remains employed by the SNP, has criticised the party for the lack of support offered to him.
Grady, the MP for Glasgow North, was handed a two day suspension from the House of Commons.
In a statement last night, Blackford said he was "initiating an external review of support available to staff, to sit alongside the independent advice service and independent complaints process".
But the victim dismissed the statement as a "publicity stunt".
He told the Record: "The Leader of the group should be replaced with someone who will handle these situations in an appropriate manner".
Forbes was pressed on the subject during an appearance on BBC Radio Scotland.
The MSP said there was "no question" her party needed to learn lessons so there was confidence in its complaints process.
But she added a commitment from Blackford to review procedures around the Grady case "is very important".
Asked if more support should have been offered to the staffer instead of Grady, Forbes said: "The starting position is victims, those who are putting in complaints, need to have confidence in the system."
She added: "Ian Blackford issued a statement last night which recognises that he has a duty of care.
"He has said all lessons need to be learned - and lessons do need to be learned, I don't think there is any question of that, because if victims don't have confidence in a process, then we need to take that seriously.
"Any of us might be in that position at any point. And ultimately, victims need to have confidence, and that is why Ian Blackford's commitment to review the procedures around this case, is very important."
Reacting to Blackford's statement last night, Scottish Labour MSP Neil Bibby said: "This is not a real apology, it is the apology of someone who got caught.
"All victims deserve a fair system - but the reality is that the SNP have shown no interest in that, refusing to take meaningful action and cheerleading the return of a man who tried to take sexual advantage of his staff.
"From the start, the SNP have behaved in a way that is disgraceful - closing ranks and intimidating people who tried to bring this story to light.”
"There is no place in politics for men who turn a blind eye to abuse because it has been perpetrated by a friend.
"Mr Blackford is leader of the UK's third party and a close ally of the First Minister, he must stand aside.”
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