Jordan Linden

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Jordan Linden (born 1995) is a Scottish former politician. He was the leader of North Lanarkshire Council from May 2022 until July 2022, when he stepped down after a series of sexual allegations [1]

He served as chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) between 2015 and 2016, serving as a MSYP from 2011 to 2016 and served as a councillor for Belshill from May 2017 to March 2023, being elected for the SNP, during which time he worked for Richard Lyle. [2]


While at the SYP, there were a number of internal investigations into sexual harassment allegations. In November 2017, after his first election to council, he briefly “stepped aside” from his SNP membership, while police investigated numerous allegations of sexual harassment from his time at the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP): Linden said he had been investigated internally and cleared. [2] In April 2018, this police investigation ended with “no criminality established”. [3]

By July 2019 [4] , he was deputy leader of the SNP group on the council, and became group leader in March 2021. [5]

In 2019, he was nominated for selection as SNP candidate in the 2019 UK general election. During this time, he attended a party following a pride event, after which he was accused of groping a teenager: four days later, apparently after complaints were made to the party, he pulled out of the selection contest. [6]

Linden again was SNP candidate in the 2022 local elections, after which, he became the leader of the council. In July, news of the 2019 elections was published. [6] After this, he resigned as leader of the council . [7] Later that month, five young men came forward claiming to have been groomed harassed or assaulted by Linden, criticising management of SYP for failing to protect them. [8] Following this, the SNP lost control of the council to Labour. [9]

In March 2023, it was reported that, following Linden’s resignation as leader, the council group leadership following discussions with SNP chief executive Peter Murrell urged councillors to support Linden amid negative effects on his mental health. [10] As a result of the handling of this, eight SNP councillors in the North Lanarkshire group quit the party, ultimately sitting together as the "Progressive Change North Lanarkshire" group. [11]

Linden was arrested in February 2024 in regards to various sexual allegations and charged in April 2024 with offences including charges of stalking and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and multiple charges of sexual assault and of indecent communication. [1]

On 11 November 2025, Linden faced and plead not guilty to 25 charges. The charges, covering a thirteen year period, includes six sexual assaults on five people, two teenagers aged 15 and 17 and three other men aged 18, 19 and 21 between 2011 and 2019, and multiple counts of stalking. [12]

Personal Life

Jordan Linden is the cousin of former SNP MP David Linden. [7]

References

  1. 1 2 "Ex-SNP council leader appears in court accused of 15 sex offences". STV News. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2025..
  2. 1 2 "Jordan Linden, an SNP councillor, steps aside after police sleaze probet". The Herald. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2025.}
  3. ↑ Jones, Gareth (24 April 2018). "Misconduct probe at Scottish Youth Parliament ends". Third Force News. Retrieved 12 November 2025.}
  4. ↑ "Controversial "eye-watering" six-figure pay off to NLC chief to be investigated". Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2025.}
  5. ↑ Tonner, Judith (9 March 2021). "New leader for North Lanarkshire SNP group" . Retrieved 12 November 2025.}
  6. 1 2 Rodger, Hannah (25 July 2022). "North Lanarkshire Council leader accused of groping a teenager during a boozy party". Sunday Mail. Retrieved 12 November 2025.}
  7. 1 2 Gordon, Tom (27 July 2022). "SNP council leader Jordan Linden quits in 'sexual misconduct' row". The Herald. Retrieved 12 November 2025.}
  8. ↑ url= https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/five-alleged-victims-snp-council-27619397
  9. ↑ Tonner, Judith (12 August 2021). "SNP lose control of North Lanarkshire after councillor's defection". Lanarkshire Live. Retrieved 12 November 2025.}
  10. ↑ Rodger, Hannah (12 March 2023). "SNP chief facing claims he directed members to close ranks to protect shamed sex pest". Sunday Mail. Retrieved 12 November 2025.}
  11. ↑ Pollock, Laura (24 May 2023). "North Lanarkshire: Progressive Change party reveals plans after leaving SNP". The National. Retrieved 12 November 2025.}
  12. ↑ Rodger, Hannah (11 November 2025). "Former SNP council leader Jordan Linden to stand trial accused of 25 charges including alleged sexual assault of 15-year-oldwork=Scottish Mail on Sunday" . Retrieved 12 November 2025.
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