Lisa Cameron
MP
Official portrait, 2020
Member of Parliament
for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
Assumed office
7 May 2015
Preceded byMichael McCann
Majority13,322 (23.6%)
Personal details
Born (1972-04-08) 8 April 1972
Political partyScottish National Party (2014–2023)
Conservative (2023–present)
Spouse
Mark Horsham
​
(m. 2009)​
Children2
EducationUniversity of Strathclyde (BSc)
University of Stirling (MSc)
University of Glasgow (DClinPsy)
Awards Ordine di Sant'Agata
Websitelisacameronmp.com

Lisa Cameron (born 8 April 1972)[1] is a Scottish politician and former consultant clinical psychologist who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow since winning the seat at the 2015 general election. First elected for the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was re-elected for that party in 2017 and 2019, before she crossed the floor to the Scottish Conservatives in October 2023.[2]

Early life and career

Lisa Cameron was born on 8 April 1972 in Glasgow, Scotland, and grew up at Westwood, East Kilbride.[1][3][4] She was educated at South Park Primary School, East Milton Primary School and Duncanrig Secondary School,[4] before going up to read Psychology at the University of Strathclyde where she graduated as BSc. Cameron pursued further studies in Psychology and Health at the University of Stirling receiving an MSc. degree before taking a DClinPsy. degree from the University of Glasgow.[5][6] After university, Cameron specialised in forensic and clinical psychology. She worked as a consultant at the State Hospital, as a clinical psychologist in the NHS and as an assessor for the Scottish Risk Management Authority.[5][6]

Cameron voted in favour of Scottish independence at the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. After the referendum results were announced, in which Scotland voted to remain part of the United Kingdom; she joined the Scottish National Party (SNP).[5][7] Cameron has also been a trade union representative for Unite for more than a decade.[6]

Parliamentary career

2015 Parliament

Cameron was elected as an SNP MP for the East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow seat at the 2015 UK general election.[8] The seat and its predecessor, East Kilbride, had been won by successive Labour Party candidates since 1974.

Cameron is the first clinical psychologist to be elected as an MP to the House of Commons.[9] During the 2015–17 Parliament, Cameron was a member of the International Development Committee and the International Development Sub-Committee on the Work of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact.[10]

On 5 January 2016, the Scottish Daily Mail published a story highlighting that Cameron owned five ex-council houses (managed by her husband) despite campaigning against the sale of council houses at the 2015 general election. She responded by stating that she had been transparent in her property dealings and had declared ownership of the properties per parliamentary rules in her register of interests.[11][12] Cameron made a complaint about the article to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) which was not upheld.[13]

2017 Parliament

Cameron retained her seat at the 2017 snap general election with 21,023 votes and both a reduced vote share and a majority of 3,866 votes.[14] Following the election, Cameron was elected to be part of the Health Select Committee and the Commons Reference Group on Representation and Inclusion.[10] She was the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) on Health, Chile, Disability, Dog Advisory Welfare, Psychology, Textile and Fashion and co-chair of the APPG on New Towns. She was also a Vice-Chair on the Pro-Life APPG.[15]

In 2017, Cameron launched the successful Lucy's Law campaign in the House of Commons against puppy farming which became statute in 2019.[16] In 2018, Cameron led the Ivory Bill for the SNP through the House of Commons.[17]

In 2019, Cameron described receiving abusive messages and threats with deselection after voting against legalising abortion in Northern Ireland in a conscience vote. An SNP assessor reportedly said he would recommend anyone with these views should have their application rejected to be a candidate and she should "quit her position as an elected representative."[18]

In September 2019, Cameron's local SNP branch passed a motion which criticised the National Executive Committee’s decision “to impose Dr Lisa Cameron as the party's candidate in the forthcoming General Election for the second time".[19] Despite this, Cameron was reselected.[19]

2019 Parliament

2019 - 2023: Sitting as SNP MP

Cameron was returned to Parliament at the 2019 general election with a majority 13,322.[20]  

On 29 June 2020, Cameron was the only SNP MP to vote on a motion to introduce a Bill to restrict anti-abortion demonstrations near abortion clinics in England. She voted against the motion, submitted on her behalf by the SNP Chief Whip.[21] Cameron claimed to receive over 3,000 "thank you notes" from people across Scotland supporting her anti-abortion stance and claiming to give them "a voice in parliament"[22] Following this, she received a death threat and said "freedom of religious belief appears to be being continually eroded".[23]

Cameron received an Award for Distinguished Contribution to Practice of Psychology from the British Psychological Society in 2020 for her work as a psychologist in NHS Scotland and on mental health in Parliament.[24] Cameron was reportedly given the title in 2021 as SNP Parliamentary Carers Champion for Carers Week.[25]

In 2022, Cameron was appointed Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Crypto and Digital Assets.[26] In March of that year, she received the MP of the Year Award from Patchwork Foundation for her disability activism and campaigns against online abuse.[27] Cameron was awarded the Order of Saint Agatha by the Republic of San Marino in October 2022.[28]

In January 2023, following the unprecedented decision of the UK Government to intervene to block the wholly devolved Scottish Government's Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, Cameron wrote to Conservative Scottish Secretary Alister Jack calling on him to "find a resolution" in a way that didn't undermine the devolution settlement.[29]

October 2023: Bullying and defection to Conservative Party

On October 12th Cameron left the SNP, claiming a "toxic and bullying atmosphere" for which she had suffered panic attacks.[30] Scottish National Party chairman said remarks over Cameron's mental health were a "tantrum".[31] She also stated that she had changed her views regarding Scottish independence in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour, explaining "I feel like Scotland’s exhausted by nationalism and all of our services are exhausted now. It’s become very divisive. (The SNP) was badged to me in 2014 as a big, broad tent – it’s become narrower and narrower and narrower towards nationalism that I don’t even recognise the party I joined from 2014."[32]

Cameron said she could not have joined the Labour Party due to her Christianity and views on transgender rights, citing the experiences of her friend Rosie Duffield.[33] Grant Costello was named SNP candidate for East Kilbride and Strathaven later that day.[34]

SNP leader Humza Yousaf, SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland, claimed that Cameron's defection was the "least-surprising news I've had as leader of the SNP", and called on her to resign as an MP, saying her defection was a "betrayal" of constituents and activists.[35][36] Prime Minister, and Conservative Party Leader, Rishi Sunak hailed Cameron's decision as "brave".[37] On 13 October, Cameron announced she and her family had to "go into hiding" after she received death threats following her defection.[38]

Post-defection parliamentary career

Shortly after her defection, Cameron announced she would be standing down at the next general election.[39]

In December 2023, it was announced that Cameron had been made Parliamentary Private Secretary for Scottish Secretary Alister Jack.[40]

Personal life

Cameron has been married to Mark Horsham since 2009,[3][11] and they have two daughters and live in South Lanarkshire.[5] Horsham has been a councillor for the Clydesdale South ward on for South Lanarkshire Council since 2017 and is the council's Veteran's Champion. He won an Award as New Councillor of the Year in Scotland 2020.[41] Following Cameron's defection, Horsham announced he was "stepping back" from his duties as an SNP councillor.[42] Eleven days later, on 23 October, he too left the party.[43]

Cameron attends the evangelical Free Church of Scotland.[33]

References

  1. 1 2 "Biography for Dr Lisa Cameron". MyParliament. Archived from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  2. ↑ "SNP MP Lisa Cameron defects to the Conservatives, citing 'toxic and bullying' culture". Politics.co.uk. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 Cameron, Dr Lisa (Who's Who, online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U284006. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  4. 1 2 "About Lisa". Lisa Cameron. Archived from the original on 10 November 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Nicol, Lynda (12 February 2015). "Newcomer Lisa Cameron chosen by SNP to contest East Kilbride seat in UK election". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "5 minutes with..." British Psychological Society. July 2015. Archived from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  7. ↑ "Scottish referendum: Scotland votes 'No' to independence". BBC News. 19 September 2014. Archived from the original on 19 July 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  8. ↑ "East Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 June 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  9. ↑ "Psychology matters: Psychology, politics and public service" (PDF). British Psychological Society. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  10. 1 2 "Dr Lisa Cameron MP". parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  11. 1 2 Johnson, Simon (5 January 2016). "Nicola Sturgeon urged to investigate two SNP MPs". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  12. ↑ "Register of Members' Financial Interest as at 9 October 2017" (PDF). parliament.uk. pp. 63–64. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  13. ↑ "02714-16 Cameron v Scottish Daily Mail". Independent Press Standards Organisation. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  14. ↑ "East Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 June 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  15. ↑ "Register of All-Party Parliamentary Groups" (PDF). parliament.uk. 8 November 2017. pp. 38, 371, 375, 648, 704, 823.
  16. ↑ "Business of the House – Thursday 14 December 2017 – Hansard – UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk.
  17. ↑ "Lisa Cameron extracts from Ivory Bill (Third sitting) (Thu 14th Jun 2018)". www.parallelparliament.co.uk.
  18. ↑ Scott, Marion (14 July 2019). "I voted to keep abortion illegal after losing my babies, but my party's reaction left me furious". Sunday Post.
  19. 1 2 Learmonth, Andrew (28 September 2023). "Christina McKelvie urges SNP members to oust Lisa Cameron". The Herald. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  20. ↑ "Election 2021 dashboard". Democratic Dashboard.
  21. ↑ "SNP's mental health spokesperson voted against move to limit abortion clinic protests". theferret.scot. 30 June 2020.
  22. ↑ "SNP abortion – Bing video". www.bing.com.
  23. ↑ "MP receives death threat after voting pro-life". Christian Concern. 16 July 2020.
  24. ↑ "BPS Practice Board 2020 winners". www.bps.org.uk.
  25. ↑ "Video Address to Carers – Dr Lisa Cameron MP" – via www.youtube.com.
  26. ↑ Kumar, Harsh (26 October 2022). "Crypto Industry Hopes UK PM Rishi Sunak Will Keep Promise He Made As Pro-Crypto Chancellor". Outlook. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  27. ↑ "MP Lisa Cameron recognised for work on online abuse and disability campaigning".
  28. ↑ "San Marino celebrates a new Knight of the Order of St Agatha". Consulate of the Republic of San Marino to the UK. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  29. ↑ Meighan, Craig (26 January 2023). "SNP MP asked Alister Jack to 'prevent' Scotland's gender reform bill". The National. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  30. ↑ Johnson, Simon (27 September 2023). "Westminster SNP colleagues gave me panic attacks, says MP". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  31. ↑ "MP Lisa Cameron defected to Tories in 'tantrum', says SNP president". BBC News. 13 October 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  32. ↑ "Turncoat MP Lisa Cameron says Scotland 'exhausted by nationalism'". Herald Scotland. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  33. 1 2 Wade, Mike (13 October 2023). "Lisa Cameron forced into hiding over violent threats after defection to Tories". The Times. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  34. ↑ Wilson, Louise (12 October 2023). "SNP confirms staffer to contest Lisa Cameron's seat at next general election". Holyrood. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  35. ↑ Carrell, Severin; Brooks, Libby (12 October 2023). "Humza Yousaf urges Lisa Cameron to resign as MP after Tory defection". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  36. ↑ Alistair, Grant (12 October 2023). "Humza Yousaf urges MP Lisa Cameron to resign after she defects from SNP to Tories". The Scotsman. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  37. ↑ Peterson, Kirsteen (12 October 2023). "Rishi Sunak welcomes 'brave' Lisa Cameron to Conservative party after SNP defection". Holyrood. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  38. ↑ "SNP MP who defected to Tories 'forced into hiding' over 'threats'". STV News. 13 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  39. ↑ "MP Lisa Cameron rejects calls for a by-election". BBC News. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  40. ↑ Meighan, Craig (12 December 2023). "SNP MP who defected to Tories made Alister Jack's assistant". STV News. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  41. ↑ "LGIU & CCLA Cllr Awards 2020". LGIU.org. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  42. ↑ Gordon, Tom (12 October 2023). "Husband of Tory defector Lisa Cameron 'steps back' as SNP councillor". The Herald. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  43. ↑ Hutcheon, Paul (23 October 2023). "Lisa Cameron's husband quits SNP just weeks after MP's defection to Tories". Daily Record. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
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