(Image: Getty)
Former Reform UK MSP Amanda Bland has accused the party's leadership of intimidation, hostility, and treating women like they should be "in another room to eat cake and discuss womanly things" rather than making decisions.
In her first interview since quitting the party last week to sit as an independent, the MSP for Central Scotland and Lothians West claimed she had suffered months of aggressive and controlling behaviour from Scottish leader Malcolm Offord and chief of staff Martyn Greene.
She told the Sunday Post it triggered traumatic childhood memories of living in a home marked by domestic abuse.
Ms Bland also told the paper she had no plans to defect to another party.
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Ms Bland's shock exit saw Reform drop from the joint-second largest party at Holyrood, to third behind Scottish Labour.
In her initial statement, the MSP said she had made the decision "after careful deliberation". However, she did not say why she quit.
Ms Bland told the Sunday Post it was down to the "behaviour of the Scottish leadership".
She added: "The persistent shouting at me, was triggering. It took me right back to being a child. I grew up in a home ruled by my father's domestic abuse where my mother, my sister and I were expected not to speak, not to tell and only do what we were told.
"I will not put up with that same kind of abusive, misogynistic behaviour that I have been subjected to from the leadership clique here in Scotland.
"Looking back now, it feels like I have escaped a coercively controlled relationship and it is a huge relief.
"No politician should be subjected to that kind of behaviour, and no political party should behave like that."
Ms Bland also claimed women were effectively excluded from real decision-making in Reform: "Putting women into leadership positions then asking them to sit behind you in the chamber, giving them all the responsibility but none of the power, does not sit well with me.
"It felt like women were only there to present an acceptable face to the public.
"But as far as playing any leading role or having women's views considered, it felt like we were being dismissed to sit in another room to eat cake and discuss womanly things while the men went off to smoke cigars, drink and talk about being in charge."
"Being a woman with an opinion should not be seen as a threat," she added.
Ms Bland rejected claims by party sources that she had been isolated, missed events, and struggled to retain office staff.
"On the contrary, I've worked extremely hard despite what the smear campaigners have said about me.
"The real issue is that I'm an independent adult woman with a lifetime of experience working as a police officer, trainer and teacher.
"I am a mother of two grown sons. I am a wife. I fought and beat cancer.
"I am not going to be spoken to like a naughty child, particularly when I have done absolutely nothing wrong."
She added: "It felt as though I was losing my own voice. The leadership liked the appearance of teamwork. But in my experience, there was very little room for challenge, discussion or independent thought."
Ms Bland said a confrontation involving Mr Offord after she had attempted to reschedule an meeting was the final straw. She said: "I couldn't believe his reaction. He strode into my office and dismissed someone else who was visiting me. He was visibly angry, shouting at me.
"I had tried to rearrange the meeting and thought I was being perfectly reasonable. Instead, I was made to feel as though I had committed some terrible offence."
Ms Bland said: "I won't apologise for standing up for myself. I was repeatedly shouted at again and again. That was the problem. That behaviour perfectly describes an abusive working environment, and nobody should have to tolerate that."
Ms Bland also said her husband is currently going through stage-four cancer, and that there had been a lack of empathy from the leadership.
"Malcolm Offord is aware of my husband's health issues and aware of my own history as documented in debates and in the media.
"However, he chooses to attack me. That has led to public questioning of whether I even had cancer, which is shameful.
"At the end of the day, politics is politics. But family, health and the people you love must always come first."
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Mr Offord rejected the accusations of intimidation, saying he had spent "countless hours" listening to Ms Bland's concerns and trying to encourage her to be a team player.
Mr Offord said: "From her first day as an MSP, Amanda pushed herself further and further away from our MSP group.
"She became a recluse in her office, she was the only MSP to skip conference, she avoided MSP dinners and isolated herself where possible.
"Despite that, Reform UK fully rejects her accusations of intimidation in reference to conversations about her attitude and behaviour.
"I spent countless hours with Amanda listening to her concerns and encouraging her to be a team player."