An MP who spoke up for the victim of an “unwanted sexual advance” by her former chief whip has told how the ostracism that followed drove her to seek counselling.
Lisa Cameron, a former NHS clinical psychologist, felt the SNP’s hierarchy turned against her in the wake of a scandal that rocked the Westminster group.
Former chief whip Patrick Grady, 43, was suspended from the Commons in June last year for two days after an independent panel found he engaged in “unwanted physical touching” with a 19-year-old member of staff.
Ms Cameron said that SNP MPs were effectively “directed to support Patrick Grady” but that she “piped up” and made the case for taking a “victim-led approach”.
A “tumbleweed” moment followed, she said, and after the meeting she felt like “persona non grata” with the hierarchy.
For months she believed she was “really ostracised with few people speaking to me from my party. It seemed like I was being excluded and I ended up having to go to the welfare services in Westminster for a year for counselling because I felt that I was being bullied.
READ MORE: Young BBC audience member refuses to back down to ‘bullyboy’ SNP chief
“Basically, the counsellor there was great but he spent the best part of a year reassuring me that I hadn’t done anything wrong by speaking up for a victim – which makes you feel like you are in some sort of alternative universe.”
A recording surfaced of then-SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford urging MPs to “give as much support as possible” to Mr Grady.
He later apologised as this had “caused distress to the complainant”.
It is reported that Ms Cameron will face a challenge from a party worker for her East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow seat, which she has held since 2015.
She believes she has an important role to play in Westminster. “My constituents feel Westminster needs a psychologist, otherwise they wouldn’t have voted for me.”
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Source: Read Full Article