The husband of Tory defector Dr Lisa Cameron has stepped back from his duties as an SNP councillor in the wake of her quitting the party, the Herald understands.
Mark Horsham, the sole SNP councillor in the Clydesdale South ward in South Lanarkshire, is also the business manager for the party on the Labour-led authority.
It is understood an email was today circulated within the SNP opposition group saying he would be taking time out to be with his family.
A Tory source confirmed Cllr Horsham was temporarily stepping back from his council role to “reflect” on whether to remain in the SNP himself.
It is understood Cllr Horsham has told colleagues he is taking up to a month out from his business manager duties.
If he were to follow his wife, it would give the Conservatives two of the three councillors in the Clydesdale South ward.
READ MORE: SNP MP Lisa Cameron defects to the Conservatives
Dr Cameron crossed the aisle and became Scotland’s seventh Tory MP this morning, hours before she was expected to be deselected by local party members as their election candidate.
She had previously threatened to call a by-election in East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow if challenger Grant Costello was chosen instead of her.
Dr Cameron, who was elected in 2015, said the SNP’s Westminster group had a “toxic” culture that failed to tackle bullying and failed to support its MPs.
Her defection has been welcomed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross.
The SNP has urged her to quit as an MP and trigger a by-election.
SNP MP Pete Wishart tweeted: "This is exactly why the local party wanted her out and why she was about to be well beaten in a selection contest by Grant Costello."
Labour said it showed the SNP, whose annual conference opens on Sunday, were "falling apart".
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