SNP MP ‘felt ostracised’ by celebration after difficult sexual harassment dealing with
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n SNP MP has stated she felt “ostracised” by her celebration after she challenged how the management dealt with sexual harassment allegations in opposition to 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 a substitute of her.
The former guide scientific psychologist advised the Mirror she spoke out after former Westminster chief Ian Blackford stated in a bunch assembly MPs ought to supply their “absolute full support” to Mr Grady – in keeping with 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 had 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 typically labored with victims, prompting her to argue the case throughout a celebration assembly in Westminster.
Doing so, she claims, meant individuals throughout the celebration “were quite hostile” in direction of her and wouldn’t communicate to her.
Speaking to the Mirror newspaper, she stated: “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 were quite hostile towards me, so it wasn’t friendly.
“I couldn’t go into 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.”
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 am philosophical about it and would probably consider my position as I can still contribute a lot to our NHS,” she stated.
“But my main current aim is to secure the backing of branch members and continue to represent my home town.”
Scottish Labour deputy chief Jackie Baillie stated the claims had been “shocking”.
With a Westminster election nearing, individuals throughout Scotland will quickly have the possibility 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: “As the SNP civil war deepens, Scottish Labour stands ready to deliver the change Scotland needs.
“It is simply shocking that Lisa Cameron claims to have been shunned after standing up to an SNP sex pest – it is clear that the SNP is a party that is in the gutter.
“The SNP can’t represent the people of East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow – Scottish Labour’s Joani Reid stands ready to deliver the change local people need.
“While Scots face a cost-of-living crisis, the SNP is turning its back on the people and going to war with itself.”
An SNP spokesperson stated: “With a Westminster election nearing, people across Scotland will soon have the chance to vote SNP to reject Westminster’s cost-of-living crisis and elect SNP MPs who will work for the better, fairer independent future that Scotland deserves.
“A number of sitting SNP MPs will be involved in selection contests following the introduction of new constituency boundaries and it’s for local members to choose their candidate in a ballot.”