SNP rocked by ‘anti-Catholic’ row af ter MP’s abortion vote
SNp chiefs have been accused of trying to stamp out religious beliefs in a formal complaint made by a senior member of the party’s ruling body.
A National executive Committee (NeC) member has revealed he was asked to ‘curtail’ discussions of his Roman Catholic faith in the event of his selection as a parliamentary candidate.
The damning complaint has been made amid a continuing row over the SNp’s vetting procedures.
Dr lisa Cameron, reselected by local party members as the preferred candidate for east Kilbride, Strathaven and lesmahagow, was the only Nationalist Mp not to have passed vetting ahead of a likely snap general election – after claiming she had been persecuted for her religious beliefs. She has now passed vetting.
Dr Cameron has raised concerns that her decision to vote against liberalising abortion rights in Northern ireland – based on her faith and personal experience – could lead to her being deselected.
A formal complaint about her treatment has now been submitted to the party by an NeC member – with the complainer branding the SNp vetting process ‘tainted’.
The letter, written by a senior Nationalist councillor, has been sent to SNp business manager Kirsten Oswald, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her husband peter Murrell, who is chief executive of the SNp.
The party has recently cleared 34 out of 35 Mps ahead of a snap general election. The letter says: ‘i am bitterly disappointed in the manner that the vetting process has been handled in regards to Dr lisa Cameron Mp. Not only does it appear to have been a tainted process, it is also causing much angst and upset amongst the Roman Catholic community in Scotland.’
it reveals that the complainer was forced to declare their religious beliefs during the vetting process and was asked ‘if i would be willing to curtail discussing matters pertinent to my faith if i were an SNp parliamentary candidate.’
The letter adds: ‘i am alarmed at the notion that Dr Cameron is not being vetted as an approved candidate.
‘i am also alarmed at suggestions that the vetting process may be getting used in order to remove Dr Cameron to replace her with someone else already earmarked.
‘This is wholly unacceptable if it is the case.’
The letter raises concerns that party officials have been trying to ‘discredit’ senior politicians such as Dr Cameron, who was forced to take legal advice after she was asked by SNp officials to confirm she did not have any concerns over ‘equality’ issues in the way she had been treated by the party.
last night a source close to Dr Cameron said the Mp was ‘upset’ over the party’s failure to respond to her emails and had described the unexplained delay as ‘a massive punishment exercise’ for her abortion vote.
The source added she ‘remains resilient regarding the importance of freedom of religious belief in politics’.
Yesterday, Bishop John Keenan of paisley Diocese also raised concerns about the treatment of Dr Cameron, writing on social media: ‘What on earth is going on here?’
Miss Sturgeon has previously said that no one would lose their position based on a vote of conscience.
A spokesman for the SNp did not comment on the letter.