AN SNP MP who was suspended from the Commons last night has said he has "no regret" about the outburst.
Drew Hendry, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, grabbed the parliamentary mace during an angry rant about the UK Internal Market Bill.
He refused to sit down when asked to by deputy speaker Dame Rosie Winterton, and was then ejected from the chamber.
Today Mr Hendry stood by his actions, saying the Bill is a "democratic outrage".
He said: "The bill is a democratic outrage and, yesterday, the Tories, with a complicit Labour Party, pushed through a bill which seeks to demolish devolution.
"The UK Government now have the ability to control spending in areas of economic development, infrastructure, culture, education, water, power, gas, telecoms, railways, housing, health and justice.
"The people of Scotland did not vote for the Tories to take these decisions at Westminster.
"My protest saw me thrown out but, in drawing attention to this power grabbing bill and looking after the rights of my constituents and of the Scottish people.
"I do not have a second of regret."
Mr Hendry's outburst saw him snatch the parliamentary mace, which sits on the dispatch box and must remain there for the house to pass laws.
He is one of several MPs who have taken the golden staff from its position, including Michael Heseltine and Lloyd Russell-Moyle.
Labour MP Mr Russell-Moyle grabbed the object in 2018 in objection to Brexit.
Scottish Conservative Highland and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston said Mr Hendry should "apologise immediately" for his behaviour.
He said: “This was embarrassing and childish behaviour from Drew Hendry who clearly should know better.
“Not only was he hectoring a deputy speaker, he also seriously endangered Commons officials by forcing them to come into close contact with him.
“That was completely reckless at a time when Covid cases are still rising.
“He should apologise immediately for this ridiculous stunt which showed the worst type of SNP behaviour that we’ve seen in Parliament on numerous occasions.”
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