MP Lisa Cameron quits ‘toxic’ SNP and joins the TORIES claiming she was bullied over sex pest scandal
MP Lisa Cameron has dramatically quit the SNP and joined the Tories over claims that she was bullied over the party’s sex pest scandal.
She revealed that the “toxic and bullying” treatment from fellow Nats colleagues caused her mental health to spiral.
This led to her being put on anti-depressants and requiring counselling for a year.
Dr Cameron, a former clinical psychologist, announced the shock decision this morning as she faced a selection contest.
The contest could have seen her ousted at the next election as SNP’s candidate for her constituency East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow.
Dr Cameron revealed that she has faced “toxic and bullying” treatment from her SNP colleagues after she spoke out against sex pest Patrick Grady.
She did so after it emerged that Mr Grady had made “unwanted sexual advances” towards a teenage member of staff – and she offered support to his victim.
And she told the Daily Mail that the backlash she received caused her health to “significantly deteriorate” and she now has “no faith” in the SNP.
Dr Cameron also explained that after opening up about having to undergo counselling, she had received support from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak but was hit by silence from SNP chiefs.
She said: “I do not feel able to continue in what I have experienced as a toxic and bullying SNP Westminster group, which resulted in my requiring counselling for a period of 12 months in Parliament and caused significant deterioration in my health and wellbeing as assessed by my GP including the need for antidepressants.
“I will never regret my actions in standing up for a victim of abuse at the hands of an SNP MP last year, but I have no faith remaining in a party whose leadership supported the perpetrator’s interests over that of the victims and who have shown little to no interest in acknowledging or addressing the impact.
“It is also true that I have received no contact from party leadership in the past weeks, despite members of every other main political party contacting me to offer support and compassion during what has been an extremely difficult time.
“I am particularly grateful to the Prime Minister in valuing my continued contribution to Parliament as a health professional and in taking time to listen.
“It is the first time I have felt heard and shows positive, inclusive leadership in contrast to that which I have encountered in the SNP at Westminster over many years.”
Last month Dr Cameron said she had been shunned by fellow SNP MPs after questioning the hierarchy’s support for Mr Grady after it emerged that he inappropriately touched a 19-year-old Nats staffer on a party night out in a London pub 2016.
He was hammered by a Commons sleaze watchdog in June 2022 who found Mr Grady had engaged in sexual misconduct for harassing the then 19-year-old including by “touching and stroking” his neck, hair, and back.
Dr Cameron said: “I’d always worked with victims so I was saying ‘what about the victim?’ But I was treated as if I was saying something outlandish. I was made to feel I was out of step with the party. I felt ostracised.
“After I spoke up in one of the meetings and said ‘shouldn’t we be supporting the victim?’ people ignored me for quite some time. They were quite hostile towards me, so it wasn’t friendly.
“I couldn’t go in the tea room for instance, people wouldn’t speak to me. So I had to have quite a lot of counselling just so I could go about my normal business in parliament.”
Although Mr Grady faced a short parliamentary suspension, leaked audio from an SNP group meeting at Westminster revealed colleagues backing him – including ex-Nats Commons leader Ian Blackford.
The secret recording leaked to the Scottish Sun heard Mr Blackford calling on fellow MPs to give Grady their “full support” with MPs heard applauding and saying “here, here”.
Grady’s victim was furious about the SNP apparently closing ranks and protecting the MP.
The staffer later left the party after SNP bosses threatened the young man with misconduct action and having his work email account locked after he sent an email to MPs and staff criticising the SNP response to the scandal.
An SNP spokesperson said: “The people of East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow will be appalled they are now represented a Conservative and Unionist MP.
“Lisa Cameron should now do the right thing and step down to allow a by-election.
“Her constituents elected an SNP MP not a Tory, and they deserve to have the democratic opportunity to elect a hard-working SNP MP who will put the interests of Scotland first.
“On a personal basis, we wish her well.”
While Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray MP, said that the move shows the SNP are “falling apart”.
He said: “This bizarre move shows that the SNP is falling apart before our eyes.
“The fact is that the SNP and the Tories are two sides of the same coin – putting the cause of division before the needs of the people.
“While the SNP and Tories compete to out-do each other in incompetence, Labour is focused on rebuilding our country and getting Britain its future back.
“Only a Scottish Labour MP will give the people of East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow the fresh start they deserve.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed Dr Cameron to the party, adding that he was “delighted” to be joined by the “brave” and “passionate” MP.
He said: “I am delighted that Lisa Cameron has decided to join the Conservatives. She is a brave and committed constituency MP.
“Lisa is right that we should aim to do politics better, with more empathy and less division and a dedication to always doing what we think is right.
“I look forward to working with her on the disability issues she has championed so passionately in parliament, and on the issues that really matter to her constituents in East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow.
“Her decision is a sign that we are the party for those who will make constructive, long-term decisions for a brighter future for the whole of the UK.”
Scottish Tories MP John Lamont also welcomed Dr Cameron in a social media post this morning.
Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: “A warm welcome to the newest Scottish Conservative MP, Lisa Cameron.
“The @ScotTories will stand up for everyone the SNP ignores”.
More to follow.
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