The MP who made history by being the first SNP politician to defect to the Conservatives has admitted that she “would no longer vote for independence”.
Lisa Cameron claims that a “toxic culture” in the SNP, based around “a cult of personality” along with appalling levels of bullying, killed off her belief in the cause which took her into politics nine years ago.
“If I don’t have faith in the SNP to take care of my welfare, why would I have faith in them to take care of the welfare of Scot-land?” she said.
“That’s why I’d no longer vote for independence.”
She revealed how Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s personal interest in her plight had persuaded her to take the leap last week.
The East Kilbride MP said she was bullied so badly and left so isolated that it led her, a trained clinical psychologist, to seek counselling and treatment for her own mental health.
Her defection to the Conservatives sent a seismic shock through the SNP as members gathered in Aberdeen for their annual conference.
The party was already reeling from the blow of losing the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election. It has also been dogged by the accusations and police investigations into the party and its former leader Nicola Sturgeon.
Ms Cameron said that as she was isolated by her colleagues, she found an unlikely ally in Mr Sunak.
She said: “It’s amazing, really. He is a very busy man but found time to meet me in Parliament. He is a very caring man and talked to me about how politics should be more compassionate.
“I had never had a one-to-one with Nicola Sturgeon or [current leader] Humza Yousaf in all my years. They never asked my opinion on anything.”
She said it is now time to move beyond the independence referendum and “heal things and work for the common good”.
However, an SNP spokeswoman said voters in her seat would be “furious” they are now represented by a Tory MP.
She added: “How anyone can endorse the Tory track record is baffling and deplorable.
“She must now do the right thing and step down to allow a by-election to take place so that her constituents can elect a hard-working SNP MP.”
