Fergus Ewing faces being suspended for a "few weeks" from the SNP group at Holyrood after voting against Lorna Slater in a motion of no confidence, The Herald can reveal.

The disciplinary matter against the former Scottish Government minister turned rebel was paused following the death of his mother, the legendary SNP politician Winnie Ewing, in June and whose passing was announced the day after Mr Ewing defied his party's whip by backing the Conservative motion calling for Ms Slater's sacking.

It is understood senior figures in the SNP believed it would be right for the group to wait until after a motion of condolence for Mrs Ewing in the Scottish Parliament.

That motion was heard on Thursday with First Minister Humza Yousaf leading the tributes in an emotional session with moving speeches made in the late politician's honour by Mrs Ewing's daughter, the SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing, who is also a deputy presiding officer and by senior MSPs from all parties.

READ MORE: What’s Humza Yousaf going to do about Fergus Ewing?

"Fergus is facing a short suspension - a few weeks," a source told The Herald.

"It is up to the SNP group to decide what action should be taken."

It is not yet clear when SNP MSPs will decide on the matter, however it is not expected to be on the agenda when group, which includes both ministers and backbenchers, hold their next meeting in Holyrood this coming Tuesday.

Should Mr Ewing be sanctioned, it is understood he would be informed of the matter by the party's chief whip at Holyrood Rona Mackay.

In an interview earlier this month, Mr Yousaf confirmed disciplinary proceedings against Mr Ewing were ongoing and described the breach of conduct as "very serious".

Mr Ewing has been a prominent critic of the Greens and their co-operation partnership in government with the SNP. He has repeatedly attacked Ms Slater’s handling of the troubled deposit return scheme, now shelved, and derided the Greens as “wine bar revolutionaries”. He also ripped up a Scottish Government plan on fisheries in the chamber in full public view and is a vocal critic of a new licensing system for short term lets, due to be introduced on October 1, which he argues will damage the country's sector tourism.

READ MORE: Former Tourism Minister challenges short-term lets law

But it was his decision to side with the Tories over Ms Slater that infuriated many of his SNP colleagues, especially those on the side of the party closer to the Greens.

Speaking to the Record, the First Minister said earlier this week: “It was a very serious matter indeed. And there was, I think, understandable reasons why the group chose not to deal with internal party discipline matters at the end of the parliamentary term, but clearly the group may want to pick those matters up when they return.

He added: “There's not been a resolution to that issue. Voting against a government minister on a vote of confidence and voting with the Conservatives in that regard is a serious matter. So, the group will meet to discuss that and it's an internal matter which I don't intend to comment [on] anymore.”

Should Mr Ewing be suspended from the group, he would be the second SNP parliamentarian to have the whip removed in recent weeks.

Angus MacNeil, the long-serving SNP MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles) was suspended by the party at Westminster in July after clashing with the former chief whip Brendan O'Hara.

Mr MacNeil last month had his membership of the party withdrawn after he refused to return to the Westminster SNP group once his suspension was lifted.

He now sits as an independent MP and plans to stand as an independent candidate at the next general election.

Mr Ewing has been approached for comment.