Tory MSP dismissed from chamber for calling Nicola Sturgeon a liar in clash over Alex Salmond inquiry

'I can't withdraw the word,' Oliver Mundell says before being told to leave

A Tory MSP has been kicked out of the debating chamber after accusing Nicola Sturgeon of having “lied” to the Scottish parliament in comments over the Alex Salmond inquiry.

Oliver Mundell was asked if he wanted to rephrase after receiving a telling off from the presiding officer over his choice of language.

“Using words like lie are not appropriate in this chamber,” Ken Macintosh said told the MSP, who had claimed the first minister had lied when promising the Scottish government's full co-operation with the inquiry into how harassment complaints against Mr Salmond were dealt with.

However, Mr Mundell said he would not “withdraw the word” after being rebuked for it. 

He was then asked to leave the chamber by Mr Macintosh.

Holyrood's Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints has suggested it is facing "obstruction" as it seeks evidence about how the government handled complaints of sexual misconduct against Mr Salmond when he was first minister.

Committee convener Linda Fabiani claimed earlier this week the investigation is being "completely frustrated" because it is still waiting for information from the Scottish government, SNP chief executive and Ms Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell, and Mr Salmond.

In a point of order on Wednesday, Mr Mundell suggested Ms Sturgeon had misled parliament when she said the inquiry "will be able to request whatever material they want, and I undertake today that we will provide whatever material they request" in January last year.

He said: "Will the presiding officer ask the first minister to explain why she lied to parliament?"

Mr Macintosh said Mr Mundell could raise the matter with the committee or ask the question during parliamentary debates.

When Mr Macintosh asked the Tory MSP to "apologise for using the term 'lied' in the chamber", Mr Mundell replied: "I do feel it is the appropriate word, and I can't find anything else that would express the sentiment."

After then being asked to rephrase his comments,  the Conservative MSP for Dumfriesshire said: "I can't withdraw the word, no."

The presiding officer then asked him to leave. 

Asked about the claim that Ms Sturgeon had misled parliament over the Scottish government's co-operation with the inquiry, a Scottish government spokeswoman said: "These claims are demonstrably false.

"The first minister has agreed to personally give evidence to the committee - and as we have made clear, not only is the government providing all possible material to the committee, we intend to initiate legal proceedings seeking to allow the release of further documents."

Additional reporting by Press Association