Settler Watch Sonja fails to make the cut
Hate campaign woman edged out in selection race
A Dunblane woman once linked to a sinister antiEnglish organisation has failed in her bid to become an SNP candidate in the forthcoming council elections.
Sonja Cameron was one of three party members bidding to represent the Nationalists in Dunblane and Bridge of Allan at the May 4 poll.
However, the 53-year-old was edged out by sitting councillor Graham Houston and Rosemary Hunter,
The ward’s membership of about 400 voted by email and post after each of the three candidates made their pitch for selection.
Eyebrows were raised last month after it was revealed Ms Cameron had passed the SNP’s vetting process and was bidding for the candidacy in Bridge of Allan and Dunblane.
Ms Cameron (53), who was born in Germany, was convicted for her role with Settler Watch, a group of extremists who ran a hate campaign against English people who moved to Scotland.
She also had links with Scottish National Liberation Army terrorist Andrew McIntosh who was sentenced to 12-years’ jail in 1993 for a hoax bombing campaign involving oil industry and Scottish Government offices.
Cameron ended up in court in 1993 after police on Deeside caught her in a car loaded with Settler Watch posters.
She was convicted over her involvement in an anti-English propaganda campaign and fined £80 at Kincardine and Deeside District Court.
The case led police to McIntosh because Ms Cameron was driving his red Vauxhall Nova when she was caught.
As a result, McIntosh was put under surveillance allowing police to gather the evidence about his campaign.
Cameron was expelled from the SNP following her 1993 conviction but allowed back into the party in 1996 and since then has held a number of low-level positions.
The SNP insisted she was a reformed character and told the Observer: “Sonja deeply regrets the limited involvement she had almost 25-years ago and it is completely at odds with the person she is today.”
Councillor Houston was elected a SNP Councillor for Dunblane and Bridge of Allan in May, 2007, and appointed Leader of Stirling Council in May, 2008.
He has worked in public, private and not-for-profit sectors and was Director of the Work Foundation Scotland, formally the Industrial Society, prior to setting up his own consultancy.
He is currently on the board of the Scottish Police Authority.
Ms Hunter has run a financial advice business and mortgage shop for 20 years and tried to make a mark in national politics before bidding for a seat on Stirling Council.
She is a member of Dunblane Community Council and organiser of the Bannockburn 10K.