FM calls for unity as party reels from Lisa Cameron defection

Lisa Cameron’s unprecedented decision to cross the floor comes just two days ahead of the SNP conference in Aberdeen, Mr Yousaf’s first since taking over from Nicola Sturgeon.

Yesterday, in headache for the SNP leader, the party also admitted defeat over the First Minister’s independence strategy.

The motion tabled by Mr Yousaf and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, due to be debated on Sunday, calls for independence talk to start if their party wins the most seats at the general election.

However, senior party sources have all but conceded that members will change that to the “majority” of seats.

READ MORE: SNP MP Lisa Cameron defects to the Conservatives

In a pre-conference interview with the PA, Mr Yousaf appealed to SNP members to “heal the divisions that exist.”

He added: "I don't care if you voted for Kate or Ash, whether they agree or disagree with the Bute House Agreement, let's come together and respect the party.

"That's the party that elected me as leader, it's the party that, of course, overwhelmingly backed the Bute House Agreement with the Greens as well.

"So, unity is going to be important."

Asked about Dr Cameron’s defection, the First Minister said the MP "should do the honourable thing" and resign her seat.

He said her decision was a “betrayal” of activists who had campaigned for her election in East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow.

READ MORE: MP's defection adds to SNP troubles days before party conference

Mr Yousaf added: “To see somebody who claims to have supported Scottish independence cross the floor to the Conservative and Unionist Party betrays the fact that she probably never believed in the cause in the first place.”

He also said the party would not fear a by-election in her East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow constituency.

That's despite the SNP suffering a humiliating defeat in the neighbouring Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election last Thursday.

READ MORE: Linden sees off challenge from Thewliss in SNP selection battle

Dr Cameron's decision to switch sides came just hours before she faced deselection by her local party.

The incumbent was being challenged for the nomination for next year’s general election by Grant Costello, a local activist who works as the SNP’s Digital Media Manager.

A ballot of local party members was due to close at noon with the results released shortly after.

Dr Cameron’s resignation meant the vote was cancelled, however, The Herald understands Mr Costello was clearly ahead.

The former SNP politician said she was deserting the party she had represented in the Commons since 2015 because of “toxic and bullying” treatment from colleagues.

She told the Daily Mail that after talking publicly about her mental health struggles she had received support from Rishi Sunak in recent weeks but not from SNP leadership.

However, SNP sources pushed back at the claim, saying she had not been a team player for many years.

They also suggested the Tories had tempted the MP over by offering the former consultant clinical psychologist a seat in the House of Lords.

The selection battle has been difficult for the MP, with little support for her to stay on in the role.

Scottish Government minister, Christina McKelvie, the local MSP Collette Stevenson and former party grandee Linda Fabiani all called on members to oust the incumbent in favour of Mr Costello.

Dr Cameron has blamed the potential deselection in part on her support for the teenage victim of Patrick Grady.

The Glasgow North MP was suspended from the Commons after he made an “unwanted sexual advance” to a teenage party staffer 19 years his junior “while under the influence of alcohol.”

She said she was "ostracised” by colleagues for asking about the victim.

Explaining her decision to defect, Dr Cameron told the Daily Mail that being in the SNP “has been bad for my health.”

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.”

The MP said she was grateful to the Prime Minister for “taking time to listen” to her.

“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.”

She also criticised the SNP’s commitment to independence, saying it had resulted in “significant division” for families like hers.

“This has taken its toll and I have come to the conclusion that it is more helpful to focus my energies upon constructive policies that benefit everyone across the four nations of the UK, and to move towards healing these divisions for the collective good."

However, in an interview with the Wings Over Scotland website, the new Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party MP said she had not “had a significant change of heart about independence.”

The pro-independence blog said that Dr Cameron had grave misgivings about it being achieved under the current SNP leadership.

Mr Sunak 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."

READ MORE: Humza Yousaf apologises to Labour councillor in 'racism' row

Meanwhile, Mr Yousaf was also forced to intervene in a racism row in Aberdeen after one of his councillors suggested a Sri Lankan-born Labour councillor was ignorant of the bedroom tax because she was a "new Scot."

Speaking to the Press and Journal, Mr Yousaf said the comments from Kairin van Sweeden to Deena Tissera "were unacceptable; no ifs, buts or maybes about it."

Cllr van Sweeden also apologised for her use of “clumsy” language.

In other SNP news, Westminster frontbencher David Linden saw off a challenge from colleague Alison Thewliss to be the party’s candidate in Glasgow East.

The selection battle was sparked after boundary commission changes saw the city lose one of its constituencies.

Ms Thewliss, Glasgow Central seat was abolished, with much of it being taken into Mr Linden’s patch.

However, following a ballot of local members, Mr Linden emerged victorious.

Ms Thewliss also put her name forward in Glasgow North, where she was successful.

In Stirling, the SNP’s Alyn Smith saw off a bid from Ahsan Khan, the husband of local MSP Evelyn Tweed, to replace him.

He told The Herald: “Least said soonest mended, I’ve another campaign to win.”

In Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber, former chief whip, Brendan O'Hara saw off a challenge from Helensburgh councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess.