A Labour MSP has withdrawn a “liar” jibe he directed at the First Minister amid a heated Holyrood exchange.
Neil Findlay’s outburst was made during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday as Nicola Sturgeon answered a question from Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale on council cuts.
He later told Parliament he would swap the word he was alleged to have said and replace it with the phrase “perpetrating a con-trick”, which Ms Sturgeon used earlier in reference to Labour tax plans.
Mr Findlay said: “I withdraw the term attributed to me that the Parliament finds unparliamentary and would instead substitute it with the term used by the First Minister today.”
Tricia Marwick, the presiding officer, said his use of the word “liar” was clearly “unparliamentary” language.
Responding to Mr Findlay’s retraction, she told him he had been a member of this Parliament for five years and should have known it was not acceptable.
She added: “I note what you have said and I will consider the matter further.”
Ms Sturgeon said the insults fired across the chamber show how “desperate” Labour are.
It is not the first time Mr Findlay, a former contender for the Scottish Labour leadership, has got into hot water with the presiding officer.
The MSP is often chided by Ms Marwick for getting to his feet out of turn in the chamber.