SCOTLAND’S Catholic bishops have urged Nicola Sturgeon to stand by a Christian MP after she claimed party officials were trying to oust her for voting against the legalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland.
The SNP’s Lisa Cameron, writing in yesterday’s Daily Mail, said activists in South Lanarkshire wanted to replace her with another candidate “more in line with SNP values”.
READ MORE: SNP MP fearing deselection from party over pro-life views
The East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow MP, who has a background as a clinical psychologist, was one of two SNP politicians to vote against lifting the ban on abortion in Northern Ireland when the issue came before the Commons last week.
Cameron said she had since been “deluged” by thousands of comments abusing her.
The MP said she had been sent pictures of rape scenes and of aborted babies. “I was told in no uncertain terms that, as a Christian, I should keep my views to myself in all votes of conscience,” Cameron said.
“It was suggested that if I was not able to do that, then I should use others’ conscience as a marker, not my own (because someone else’s conscience was presumably better equipped?).
“I was even told I was no longer suitable to be a politician and to represent the people of the town where I grew up.”
She continued: “As a result, my deselection is now being actively voiced by local officials in South Lanarkshire, who say they want to install another candidate who is ‘more in line with SNP values’.
“I thought I was. I believe in democracy, social inclusion and religious freedom. Surely these are values we should all hold.”
The MP also expressed fears that the UK was “becoming so very intolerant towards Christians”.
The President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, Bishop Hugh Gilbert, wrote to the First Minister urging her to give Cameron public re-assurance that it was not “incompatible to hold pro-life views and be a SNP MP candidate”.
He expressed his concerns that this had not yet already happened, despite Cameron asking for that assurance.
Gilbert wrote: “I believe I write on behalf of all who cherish freedom of conscience within the public square and hold in high regard those in public life who remain true to their conscience, even at the expense of personal popularity or political advantage.”
An SNP spokesperson said: “As the votes last week demonstrate, in common with other parties the SNP operates a policy where votes on such matters are free votes – meaning it is up to the individual MP to decide their vote and that there is no party whip.
“As the Bishop’s letter states, Lisa Cameron received such assurances before the vote.
“That reassurance was also given following the vote. As we have already made clear, no one would fail candidate assessment because of their religious views."
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