Joanna Cherry MP has announced that she is stepping back from her public role for the time being due to health reasons.
The Edinburgh South West MP who was one of the SNP's top performers in Westminster until she was sacked from her frontbench role in February broke the news on social media.
She wrote on her Twitter account: "A wee personal announcement.
"I’m taking some time out for health reasons. My constituency office will continue to deal with all enquiries. I hope my privacy will be respected. Thank you."
Cherry, 55, is one of the SNP's fiercest internal critics of Nicola Sturgeon's independence strategy and has called for the party to challenge the Westminster veto on another referendum through the courts.
As a QC she was involved in the successful court challenge against Boris Johnson's 2019 attempt to close down parliament when he faced votes against his Brexit policy.
Cherry was unceremoniously sacked by Westminster leader Ian Blackford as the SNP spokesperson for home affairs after a public falling out over trans rights with former deputy leader Kirsty Blackman MP.
The SNP has previously said she was removed from the front bench because of “unacceptable behaviour” – not because of her views.
She has been subject to vicious online abuse over trans rights and shortly after he demotion an SNP member was arrested and charged over online threats made against her.
Cherry was elected to the SNP's ruling national executive late last year as one of the most senior figures in a slate of activists involved in the Common Weal group who argue against Sturgeon’s cautious approach to staging a second referendum .
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