COME TOGETHER

FM calls on SNP MP who defected to Tories to do decent thing and resign | Yousaf makes plea for crisis-hit party to rally round or risk losing next election

- PAUL HUTCHEON, ANDREW QUINN and CHRIS McCALL

HUMZA Yousaf has made a desperate plea for SNP unity after turncoat MP Lisa Cameron defected to the Tories.

The First Minister urged his party to "come together" after Cameron's shock decision to quit.

She last night refused to be drawn on speculation she may end up in the House of Lords.

Cameron, the SNP MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, walked away days before Yousaf's first party conference as leader.

She said of her decision to join the Tories: "I do not feel able to continue in what I have experienced as a toxic and bullying SNP Westminster group, which resulted in my requiring counselling for a period of 12 months in Parliament and caused significant deterioration in my health and wellbeing as assessed by my GP, including the need for antidepressants."

Party sources said she quit because she was certain to lose a re-selection battle to stand again as a candidate.

Yousaf said of the defection: "It's the least surprising news I've had as leader of the SNP, I must confess.

"Lisa Cameron should do the honourable thing, she should resign her seat.

"She should do the honourable thing by her constituents, who voted for an SNP MP, [but] did not vote for a Conservative MP."

He said the SNP could win any by-election and her decision was a "betrayal" of party activists, adding: "To see somebody who claims to have supported Scottish independence cross the floor to the Conservative and Unionist Party betrays the fact that she probably never believed in the cause in the first place."

In an appeal to SNP members, he said they should unite regardless of whether they voted for him, Kate Forbes or Ash Regan in this year's leadership contest.

He said: "The old maxim is true - divided parties simply don't win elections, so we have to heal the divisions that exist.