Scots Lib Dem MP sacked from Westminster frontbench job rebelled in memory of late husband
A Scottish Lib Dem MP who was sacked for rebelling against the whip said she did so because of her late husband.
Christine Jardine was removed from the party frontbench after opposing a Tory amendment which would have slashed benefits for some mental health conditions. The Lib Dems had whipped for MPs to abstain on the amendment.
Jardine's late husband Calum Macdonald had bipolar disorder. She said this meant she not voting against the amendment was "unpalatable".
She was binned from her jobs as women and equalities and Scotland spokesperson on Wednesday night.
This was despite later obeying the party whip to vote against the Labour Government's welfare bill.
The Edinburgh West MP told the Record: "Calum had bipolar disorder. Several people around me have mental health conditions the amendment dismissed as 'minor'.
"It's the first time in eight years I have not gone with the whip, but it was personal and something I had to do
"I fully appreciate that having gone against the whip, my position on the frontbench was untenable for the party.
"I continue to support Ed and the party, everything we do and everything that we strive to achieve.
"I'm disappointed but to not oppose that amendment would have been, to me, unpalatable."
Jardine only found out she had been booted from the frontbench after seeing a journalist post about it on social media.
The Tory amendment to the welfare bill would have lowered Universal Credit payments for those with "less severe" mental health conditions and have left out some foreign nationals from certain benefits.
She was one of nine Liberal Democrat MPs who voted against it.
Macdonald died of a heart attack just weeks before Jardine was elected as an MP in 2017.
He had been a journalist with the Herald for 25 years.
The couple had been married for 30 years.
Jardine is a former journalist, having worked as the editor of the Press Association in Scotland.
Labour's welfare cuts passed in the House of Commons on Wednesday night following a huge U-turn from the government.
Most measures slashing benefits were removed, but four Scottish Labour MPs still rebelled against the government.
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