THE husband of the MP who defected from the SNP to the Conservatives has also quit the party, according to reports.
However, Mark Horsham, who had been an SNP councillor for Clydesdale South in South Lanarkshire, has not followed his partner Lisa Cameron in joining the Tories.
Cameron, the MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, won headlines with a defection to Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives two weeks ago.
At the time, her husband also took the decision to “step back” from the SNP.
Horsham has now left the party altogether and is listed as an independent on the South Lanarkshire Council website.
A spokesperson for the SNP South Lanarkshire group told the Daily Record: “After six positive and successful years of working together as part of the SNP South Lanarkshire team, it is regretful to see Mark take this decision for reasons unconnected to his relationship with the group.
"We wish him very well and hope that we can continue to work together in the best interests of people across South Lanarkshire.”
Horsham was elected on the SNP ticket in the first round of voting in the 2022 local elections.
Cameron had represented the SNP since 2015, but quit just hours before she was set to lose a selection battle against Grant Costello for the right to stand for the party in the newly created East Kilbride and Strathaven seat in the next General Election.
Cameron (below) had been threatening to resign and force a by-election when it looked likely that she would not be chosen to stand for the SNP.
Speaking to the Daily Mail about her resignation, Cameron suggested she now opposed independence.
She said: "Families like mine experienced significant division regarding the issue of independence.
"This has taken its toll and I have come to the conclusion that it is more helpful to focus my energies upon constructive policies that benefit everyone across the four nations of the UK, and to move towards healing these divisions for the collective good.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was reported to have been closely involved in Cameron’s decision to defect, said he “doubts” the MP still supports Yes.
When Cameron defected, an SNP spokesperson called on her to resign as an MP.
They said: “The people of East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow will be appalled they are now represented a Conservative and Unionist MP.
“Lisa Cameron should now do the right thing and step down to allow a by-election.
“Her constituents elected an SNP MP – not a Tory, and they deserve to have the democratic opportunity to elect a hard-working SNP MP who will put the interests of Scotland first.”
