Douglas ross booted out of scottish parliament for heckling john swinney

Douglas ross booted out of scottish parliament for heckling john swinney


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THE FORMER SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVES LEADER WAS ASKED TO LEAVE BY PRESIDING OFFICER ALISON JOHNSTONE. 12:27, 29 May 2025Updated 19:42, 29 May 2025 Douglas Ross is ordered to leave the Scottish


Parliament Douglas Ross was shown the red card at the Scottish Parliament today for heckling John Swinney during First Minister's Questions. The former leader of the Scots Tories was


asked to leave by Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone after he was heard repeatedly disagreeing while the First Minister was speaking. Ross, a SFA match official, reacted with fury when the


SNP leader blamed Brexit for farmers' woes. Under parliament rules, MSPs are expected not to interrupt proceedings when they are sitting down. Swinney was in the process of answering a


question from Scottish Conservatives leader Russell Findlay when Johnstone interjected. "Mr Ross, you have persistently refused to abide by our Standing Orders, and I would ask you to


leave this Chamber, and you are excluded for the rest of the day," the Presiding Officer said. It came after Swinney was repeatedly pressed by Findlay over the Scottish


Government's climate change targets. READ MORE: Save Loch Lomond campaign protests at Scottish Parliament over 'shameful' Flamingo Land planREAD MORE: John Swinney says


Hamilton by-election is 'straight contest' between SNP and Reform UK as he makes plea to Labour voters The Scottish Conservatives leader told MSPs: "The Climate Change


Committee's new report sets out what this Government needs to do to reach its 2045 Net Zero target. "They would have to reduce oil and gas production by 91 per cent, which would


devastate the industry and our economy. "They would have to ask homeowners to meet stringent and expensive new energy standards. They would have to get more than half of the population


to drive electric cars or vans by 2035. "This report lays bare the crippling costs to hardworking families and businesses. Does John Swinney think the committee's proposals are


realistic?" The First Minister said his Government would "carefully consider" the committee's advice before setting out its proposed carbon budget. He added: "What


is inescapable is we have to got to take action to tackle climate change in our society. That is why the Government is absolutely committed to achieving Net Zero by 2024." Findlay said


the target could only be achieved if farmers culled two million cattle over the next decade. He described such a move as "utter madness". Swinney later claimed Scotland's


farmers faced bigger problems as a result of the 2016 decision to leave the European Union. "Mr Findlay talked about reassurance for farmers," he said. "As a representative of


a constituency that includes many members of the farming community, I take the commitment to support Scottish agriculture very seriously." It was at this moment Ross's objections


from his seat could be most heard. To uproar from Tory MSPs, Swinney continued: "I can tell Parliament what was not reassuring to farmers - the Brexit Mr Findlay supported."


Following the exchange, a Scottish Tory spokesman said: "The Presiding Officer has shown a consistent pattern to favour certain parties at the expense of others. "We will be


seeking discussions to reiterate that the Presiding Officer should not show blatant bias." Article continues below TO SIGN UP TO THE DAILY RECORD POLITICS NEWSLETTER, CLICK HERE