SNP MSPs look set to abstain on a Holyrood vote to suspend Michael Matheson for 27 days. 

The party will attempt to change the motion from the Standards Committee to include some criticism of the process, including claims it was biased and prejudiced.

However, they will not try to soften the punishment and when it comes to a vote this afternoon, they will sit on their hands. 

The Scottish Tories accused John Swinney of u-turning on his u-turn.

READ MORE: Swinney in U-turn over errant iPad minister

As well as the lengthy ban from parliament, the Standards Committee motion calls for the Falkirk West MSP to have his wages withdrawn for 54 days, roughly equivalent to the £11,000 he racked up in data roaming charges.

The SNP amendment to that motion criticises Tory MSP Annie Wells and says comments she made about Mr Matheson ahead of the case being heard by the Standards Committee means there is a risk the report by the group is at risk of being "open to bias and prejudice... thereby bringing the Parliament into disrepute."

It also criticises the leak of "material relating to the committee's deliberations" to the Daily Record. 

It is thought SNP MSPs will back and Green MSPs will either support it or abstain. 

Last week, the First Minister told MSPs he could not support the sanction. On Wednesday morning the First Minister told BBC Scotland News his opinion had not changed.

“I won’t be supporting the sanctions that are put in place," he said.

"Our position will be put to parliament today and parliament will hear all about that.”

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “John Swinney seems to have u-turned on his u-turn.

“Confusion and chaos were the hallmark of Humza Yousaf’s time as First Minister and John Swinney is doing more of the same.

"The supposedly safe pair of hands has dropped the ball big time.

“John Swinney should be sacking Michael Matheson, but it turns out he won’t even vote to sanction his 'friend'. 

"It's scandalous that he wants to let the disgraced former health secretary off scot-free for lying to the public, press and parliament about his £11,000 iPad bill."

READ MORE: Matheson set for suspension after dramatic SNP U turn

Speaking to journalists during a visit in Glasgow, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the First Minister’s decision to criticise Holyrood’s Standards Committee was “shameful.”

“What I'm very clear about is that Michael Matheson misused £11,000 of public money.

“He misled the public.

“He misled the parliament. He misled journalists who were fair enough to ask those difficult questions.

“He misled the First Minister at the time, the First Minister then became aware of the facts and carried on the cover-up actually for one of his pals.

“As part of this long-grassing it, he himself referred himself to the standards committee.

“No issue was raised by individual members of that committee about any individual member and they're right or wrong of them being on that committee.

“And then once that Committee concluded the SNP tactic was to attack the committee and the actions of the committee rather than the actions of Michael Matheson in attempting to misuse £11,000 of public money.

“This was straight out of the Boris Johnson Conservative Party playbook, and it puts to bed any pretence that John Swinney is trying to deliver a different kind of politics.

“He's not.“He is putting his friendships before the integrity of Parliament, and he's putting his party before he is put in the country. And frankly, it's shameful.”