Local office refuse to cover part of MP’s £12k costs
NICOLA FINDLAY
An East Kilbride MP is at the centre of a rift with her local branch over a fivefigure claim for election expenses.
The SNPs Dr Lisa Cameron, who is in selfisolation on medical advice with symptoms of Covid-19, submitted expenses to her local East Kilbride branch following her General Election victory in December.
But they have now written to the party’s national treasurer Colin Beattie flagging up concerns over the claim and are refusing to cover part of her near £12,000 bill.
She spent £11,715 .92 during the campaign, official documents show whereas the combined spend of her opponents was £11, 297.70.
Dr Cameron, who represents the East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow constituency, has a fractious relationship with her party since voting against lifting Northern Ireland’s abortion ban – fearing deselection and claiming she was being targeted by a smear campaign.
The letter by her local branch states that they agreed in January that it had no responsibilty for any of the expenses incurred by their party’s local MP.
The motion goes on: “The MP at no time involve the local branch in campaign plans or agreed a budget.
“The expenses have been settled with the Electoral Commission, so the legal requirements have been met.”
It also says that there was “no use made of available SNP Constituency Branch resources although offered” instead effectively “renting from Westminster” by staying in parliamentary offices.
This is a more expensive way to produce and distribute leaflets.
The letter adds: “The candidate was not meaningfully engaged with our branch in relation to the 2019 General election meaning no agreement was sin place in relation to a budget or donation.”
All her relevant expenses have been deemed appropriate and signed off by the Electoral Commission.
They are the responsibility of her election agent, who was her husband Mark Horsham, a fellow SNP councillor.
A spokesman for Dr Cameron said all her expenses were “legitimately occurred” and paid for by her agent.
He said: “The election agent who has been in correspondence with the party considers that there is entitlement to the repayment of the properly and legitimately incurred expenses in line with previous electoral branch practice.
“Lisa has been taken down with suspected symptoms of coronavirus but her focus at this time is entirely upon protecting her children and constituents from spread of the virus.”
An SNP spokesman said it was their understanding expenses had been “properly submitted” and all invoices paid for.