SNP MP ‘felt ostracised’ by party after challenging sexual harassment handling

Dr Lisa Cameron said she spoke out against the party’s handling of claims made against fellow MP Patrick Grady (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament)
Dr Lisa Cameron stated she spoke out towards the occasion’s dealing with of claims made towards fellow MP Patrick Grady (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament) / PA Media

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n SNP MP has stated she felt “ostracised” by her occasion after she challenged how the management dealt with sexual harassment allegations towards Patrick Grady.

Dr Lisa Cameron, MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, claims her constituency’s Westminster marketing campaign committee has backed a celebration employee to contest the seat on the subsequent normal election, as an alternative of her.

The previous guide scientific psychologist advised the Mirror she spoke out after former Westminster chief Ian Blackford stated in a gaggle assembly MPs ought to supply their “absolute full help” to Mr Grady – based on a leaked recording of the occasion – who was suspended from the SNP for six months over sexual harassment allegations.

Mr Grady was accused of inappropriately touching a celebration employees member in 2016.

After I spoke up in one of many conferences and stated ‘shouldn’t we be supporting the sufferer?’ individuals have been fairly hostile in direction of me, so it wasn’t pleasant

Mr Grady had his SNP membership restored in December 2022 however Dr Cameron claims she questioned why the expertise of the sufferer was not being prioritised.

In her earlier NHS job, she stated she usually labored with victims, prompting her to argue the case throughout a celebration assembly in Westminster.

Doing so, she claims, meant individuals throughout the occasion “have been fairly hostile” in direction of her and wouldn’t converse to her.

Chatting with the Mirror newspaper, she stated: “I used to be handled as if I used to be saying one thing outlandish. I used to be made to really feel I used to be out of step with the occasion. I felt ostracised.

“After I spoke up in one of many conferences and stated ‘shouldn’t we be supporting the sufferer?’ individuals have been fairly hostile in direction of me, so it wasn’t pleasant.

“I couldn’t go into the tea room, as an illustration, individuals wouldn’t converse to me. So, I needed to have numerous counselling simply so I may go about my regular enterprise in Parliament.”

Dr Cameron, who was elected in 2015, stated she plans to hunt the help of department members to permit her to hunt re-election, but when that fails she may return to her healthcare profession.

She added: “I’m philosophical about it and would in all probability think about my place as I can nonetheless contribute rather a lot to our NHS,” she stated.

“However my principal present purpose is to safe the backing of department members and proceed to symbolize my house city.”

Scottish Labour deputy chief Jackie Baillie stated the claims have been “stunning”.

With a Westminster election nearing, individuals throughout Scotland will quickly have the prospect to vote SNP to reject Westminster’s cost-of-living disaster and elect SNP MPs who will work for the higher, fairer unbiased future that Scotland deserves

She stated: “Because the SNP civil conflict deepens, Scottish Labour stands able to ship the change Scotland wants.

“It’s merely stunning that Lisa Cameron claims to have been shunned after standing as much as an SNP intercourse pest – it’s clear that the SNP is a celebration that’s within the gutter.

“The SNP can’t symbolize the individuals of East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow – Scottish Labour’s Joani Reid stands able to ship the change native individuals want.

“Whereas Scots face a cost-of-living disaster, the SNP is popping its again on the individuals and going to conflict with itself.”

An SNP spokesperson stated: “With a Westminster election nearing, individuals throughout Scotland will quickly have the prospect to vote SNP to reject Westminster’s cost-of-living disaster and elect SNP MPs who will work for the higher, fairer unbiased future that Scotland deserves.

“A variety of sitting SNP MPs might be concerned in choice contests following the introduction of latest constituency boundaries and it’s for native members to select their candidate in a poll.”