THE SNP's Westminster leader has called for calm amid growing tensions in his party over online abuse and constituency rivalry.
MP Ian Blackford spoke out after a series of spats involving Joanna Cherry, Mhairi Black and Angus Robertson in recent days.
Infighting within the party has been growing for some time, fuelled by the opposing views around gender recognition reform proposals and the timing of a second independence referendum.
However tensions came to a head last week when Mhairi Black attended a school in her constituency of Paisley, accompanied by a drag queen who read a story to pupils.
The performer, and the MP, were later criticised after comments of an adult nature were found on the entertainers social media pages.
Black and Joanna Cherry MP were reported to have had a "blazing row" at a party meeting this week, where Black accused her colleague of trolling her on social media and not coming to her defence over the drag queen incident.
Cherry and former MP Angus Robertson are also going head to head to represent Edinburgh Central in the next Holyrood elections, following Cherry's decision to run for the seat while retaining her role in Westminster.
Cherry announced her decision to stand in next year's election after Robertson had declared he would be seeking election in the area.
Leaked messages came to light this week which showed Cherry warning other party members that it was against the SNP's rules to endorse a particular candidate for the election.
Others disagreed, including fellow MP Alison Thewliss.
Now Ian Blackford, who leads the group of 47 MPs at Westminster, has said he will help to restore calm and help any party colleagues who feel victimised.
He said: “I have a responsibility to ensure that there is calm and I have a responsibility for pastoral care.
"I want to make sure all colleagues are properly supported and that is what I will do.”
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