Ross accuses Johnstone of ‘constitutional bias' after being kicked out of FMQs
Douglas Ross has accused Holyrood's Presiding Officer of constitutional bias after being kicked out from the Scottish Parliament's chamber during a boisterous First Minister's Questions.
The former Scottish Tory leader claimed Alison Johnstone — who was elected in 2021 as a Scottish Green MSP — treats pro-union parties more harshly than those who backed Yes in the 2014 independence referendum.
However, a spokesperson for Holyrood said the MSP had been repeatedly warned about his heckling.
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The row began after Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay questioned the First Minister on the impact of net zero policies on agriculture. In response, John Swinney said Brexit had harmed farmers, prompting Mr Ross to shout: 'Swinney deflecting again.'
Ms Johnstone halted proceedings and said: '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.'
Mr Ross did not initially leave, forcing the Presiding Officer to pause proceedings again to insist he depart.
Here is the moment Douglas Ross was kicked out of the Chamber today during FMQs @heraldscotland pic.twitter.com/7EGaUgATVp
— Hannah Brown (@HannahMargBrown) May 29, 2025
Speaking to journalists afterwards, Mr Ross said he was 'very frustrated' by the decision.
'For a member to be expelled from the chamber without being warned at all, I think may be unprecedented. I have been warned in the past, as has John Swinney. I have been warned quite a lot recently, as has John Swinney, for shouting and heckling and others and asking questions, as have many SNP backbenchers and frontbenchers.'
Asked if he was questioning the Presiding Officer's neutrality, Mr Ross replied: 'Yes.'
He said MSPs from other parties had messaged him to express concern about Ms Johnstone's conduct.
'They were just surprised by the actions of the Presiding Officer. We are a legislature here — we are not a library.
"There is going to be some discussion from the benches around the respective party spokespeople. That is what people watch politics for. Now, sometimes it goes beyond the pale and action has to be taken.
"But I do not recall ever seeing a Presiding Officer take no action to try to minimise that behaviour or to warn any members before excluding them — and she reached straight for that option today, which for me raises serious concerns.
"The speed at which she did it made me almost think it was premeditated.
'It did not matter what I did today. I wonder if she was just going to go straight for that. And certainly, by looking at it, there was no hesitation from Alison Johnstone to reach for that straightaway.'
He added: 'I think we have got to look at her actions against Conservatives in general, and how she has responded to comments from SNP ministers.
"For example, the First Minister is apparently allowed to call the Conservatives a disgusting party with no sanction.
"But Russell Findlay was making comments about the Green Party, which she immediately slapped down.
"So it does raise questions about the consistency in her decision-making and how she is treating members of different parties.'
He said: 'Alison Johnstone, formerly being a Green Party member, said that she would leave her party allegiances at the door, but [she is] taking very different approaches to nationalist politicians who step out of line compared to unionist politicians who step out of line.'
The Scottish LibDems said they continued to support Ms Johnstone.
Alex Cole-Hamilton said: 'If Douglas Ross does not want to be in the Scottish Parliament any more he should just resign.
'Anyone watching First Minister's Questions will know that for weeks and weeks Douglas Ross has been provoking the Presiding Officer in the hope that he would get thrown out, in a cynical bid for relevance.
'The Presiding Officer was quite right to eject him and my party has full confidence in her impartiality.'
A Scottish Parliament spokesperson said: "The Presiding Officer has warned Mr Ross on repeated occasions recently about his behaviour in the Chamber.
'Due to his persistent refusal to respect the rules of Parliament, the Member was asked to leave the Chamber. This suspension is for the remainder of the day.'
On 8 May the Presiding Officer told the MSP, Mr Ross, "if I hear you once more, you will leave this chamber.'
On 22 April she said: "Mr Ross, I will not ask again that you refrain from shouting from your seat when you have not been called to speak. That is the last time that I will ask you.'
Later that same day, Ms Johnston said: "Mr Ross, would you like to leave the chamber? If you wish to remain here, you must adhere to our standing orders.'
Standing Order 7.3 of Scottish Parliament Standing Orders sets out that MSPs "shall at all times conduct themselves in an orderly manner" and that any member who breaks this rule "may be ordered by the Presiding Officer to leave the chamber and may be excluded from the chamber."
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