FORMER Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross was admonished in the Holyrood chamber after he interrupted an SNP minister claiming she had “deliberately” misled Parliament.
Ross intervened on Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop – despite MSPs having been explicitly told not to do so – as she delivered an update on the dualling of the A96.
The Tory MSP stepped in after Hyslop said that the “Scottish Government's current plan is to fully dual the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen”.
This came despite a Transport Scotland review, published earlier on Thursday, recommending instead that the road is given targeted improvements, such as bypasses.
Waving the review in the air, Ross accused Hyslop of lying.
He said: “I'm sorry, presiding officer, and I wouldn't normally do this, but can you see if it's in order for the Transport Secretary to deliberately mislead this parliament?
“Because anyone who has read this document [the review] knows that this SNP Government is no longer committed to fully dualling the A96.
“Whatever the Cabinet Secretary is saying today, it is not the truth because this document says they are backsliding on their commitment, and they are not going to fully dual that road.”
Deputy presiding officer Annabelle Ewing asked Ross to withdraw his remarks and highlighted that Hyslop was in the middle of her statement.
“I will simply do it because I want to ask a question,” Ross responded.
He was later admonished as he continued to talk from the backbenches.
Interrupting Hyslop to talk to Tory MSPs, Ewing said: “I will not have a running commentary.
“I made it quite clear at the beginning that the statement would be made without interventions or interruptions, and I expect that my statement in that regard will be heeded.”
Hyslop went on to tell MSPs that, although the SNP Government wanted to see the A96 dualled, it would not be done before 2030.
She further said that the Transport Scotland review would inform a future decision after a public consultation.
The SNP minister told MSPs that no final decision on dualling the A96 had yet been made.
