Fergus Ewing is unsure if he will rejoin the SNP when his week-long suspension from the party ends.

Speaking to journalists in Holyrood on Thursday, the Inverness and Nairn MSP said he was still considering his future following the party's decision to temporarily remove the whip.

The former minister was sanctioned by colleagues after he voted for a Conservative motion of no confidence in Green minister, Lorna Slater. 

READ MORE: SNP MSPs vote to suspend Fergus Ewing from Holyrood group

“I’ve been suspended for a week and that was the decision of the group," Mr Ewing said. "I’ll have to consider that and decide what to do and I haven’t begun to do that because, as I say, I'm focusing on speaking out in my constituents’ interests.”

Asked if he would appeal, Mr Ewing said he “hadn’t got round to thinking about that yet.

"My sole purpose is to represent my constituents to the best of my interest, to stand up for the people of Inverness and Nairn to do what I think is right

"When all is said and done, whether you agree or disagree with me, that’s the point of being an MSP and the point of having a parliament is to have MSPs that are willing to speak out.”

“I have a clear conscience. There is no way I could have supported the continuance of any minister in office that fails so lamentably on the deposit return scheme.”

Asked if he was going to defect to Alex Salmond’s Alba, Mr Ewing replied, “Ach, come on.”

Mr Ewing then refused to be drawn on whether or not he had spoken to Mr Salmond.

"I don’t really see how I start having to explain how I speak to and who I don’t," he said.

"I’m sorry, I’m not going to answer that question." 

Asked why, he replied: "Because I don’t want to."

READ MORE: SNP facing backlash over suspending Fergus Ewing

The comments from Mr Ewing came after First Minister Humza Yousaf said he respected the veteran MSP and hoped he would come back into the fold. 

He said: “Fergus beached the standing orders. There was a group meeting to decide on the disciplinary process and sanction should be for the breach of the standing order and overwhelmingly they voted for a week’s suspension, which I think is a pretty proportionate given the breach. 

“My hope is that Fergus, somebody who I like, admire, respect, worked very closely with when I was transport minister, comes back into the party after that week.”

Mr Yousaf who did not attend the vote on Wednesday night due to illness, said: "People should represent their constituents but if you’re an SNP MSP elected on the SNP ticket there are standing orders, rules you have to abide by.

"He was in breach of those standing orders."

Asked if he was now leading a divided party, Mr Yousaf said: "I have no issues with people having differences of opinion.

"I think over the last six months I’ve been leader of the party, I’ve been very tolerant of those different opinions.

"I welcome that diversity of thought and debate. 

"I don't think there’s a single political party, certainly on these islands, that would accept a member voting against the government that their party is part of."