AN SNP who complained about a homophobic peer has told of the abuse she suffered after raising her concerns.

Hannah Bardell, SNP MP for Livingston, complained about Lord Ken Maginnis after witnessing him verbally abusing a male security guard at a secure entrance to Westminster in January.

The peer did not have his security pass, and when he was told he would have to go to another office to get a temporary one he became aggressive and abusive.

Ms Bardell complained about his behaviour, which led to other complaints being investigated about Lord Maginnis and he is now facing an 18-month suspension from the House of Lords.

Speaking to The Herald, the MP said she faced death threats following the complaint, and it affected her personal life and her health.

She said: "I got two death threats in March. One was a handwritten one sent to my office, another one was in an email.

"It was quite distressing, and it had a pretty major impact on my relationship at the time, and me, and it made me really stop and think about my job, and if it was worth it.

"Of course it is, and this vindicates the complaint and what happened but it was a lonely journey for a while.

"I saw what happened to Christian [the security guard] and reading his testimony was heartbreaking.

"This is a guy who loves his job, you know, and he's doing a really important job.

"It's not that long ago that Keith Palmer was killed, serving us as members. The least we can bloody do is wear our security badges."

Lord Maginnis was found to have breached the code of conduct several times in the first three months of this year in an investigation by the House of Lords Conduct Committee.

He made homophobic remarks about Ms Bardell and another MP, Labour's Luke Pollard and was overheard making generally homophobic remarks by a third MP, Labour's Toby Perkins.

Investigators recommended today that he be suspended for 18 months, and must take part in behavioural change training in order to be reinstated into the house of lords.

Peers will now vote on the recommendations, but they are expected to approve them next week.

However an interview with BBC Radio Ulster this afternoon, Lord Maginnis said he would not take part in any training if it meant he was going to "be berated".

He explained: "I thought it was a one off session, and I said 'Well I suppose so' but apparently it is something that is ongoing.

"Look, I've held responsible positions all my life. At 83, years of age. I'm not going to be dictated to in in this way. So I think that answers your question."

He was asked if he would apologise to the MPs he abused, or the security guard, but refused to do so.

The peer also claimed he had not forgotten his parliamentary pass, but it was in his "case" and due to his mobility and health problems and the fact there was "no table for me to set my case on" he was unable to reach his badge.

He later said: "I believe that there would have been no complaint from the security guard when he understood that he was wrong to try and send me on a half mile trek round the outskirts of Parliament in order to get a replacement pass.

"I think he wouldn't have had a problem. The problem was Bardell woman [sic] intervened."

Lord Maginnis is an independent peer, having had the whip removed from the UUP in 2012 when he compared homosexuality to bestiality, and described gay marriage as "unnatural".