Douglas Ross refuses to leave committee after dialling in from the Caribbean

Douglas Ross has refused a call to leave a key Scottish Parliament committee after dialling in from the Caribbean.

Ross, the convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, was challenged to hand over the reins after joining an evidence session from the other side of the world.

The former Scottish Conservative leader is understood to be in Turks and Caicos on Commonwealth Parliamentary Association business.

Joining the meeting remotely, he was urged to yield his chairmanship of the session by an angry Willie Rennie MSP, who told him to hand over to vice-convener Jackie Dunbar.

Rennie told Ross: “I don't think it's appropriate, convener, for you to be conducting this meeting from the Caribbean. I think it doesn't make you look good, and it doesn't make this committee look good, and I would like you, once again, to reconsider whether this is appropriate, and I would ask you to hand over the responsibilities to the vice-convener.”

The Lib Dem MSP made the challenge after the committee and its guests - including Scottish Government ministers Jenny Gilruth, Graeme Dey and Natale Don-Innes - struggled to hear his opening remarks, with Ross asking: “Do we need to put up the volume in the room?”

The session was briefly suspended as Ross handed over to Dunbar, and she checked the standing orders for protocol.

Resuming, the SNP's Dunbar said rules show that “it is the role of the convener to chair the committee if they are present, whether in person or virtually”, and handed back over to Ross.

As Ross invited Gilruth to begin her opening statement, Rennie challenged again, suggesting that Ross should leave and guest Liz Smith MSP, another Scottish Conservative, could act as his substitute.

Rennie said: “What is technically possible is for you to leave the meeting and Jackie Dunbar could take over convening the session.”

Ross responded: “Unfortunately, you're not correct in that.

“Ms Smith, who would be an excellent substitute, would not be allowed to act as a substitute because the Scottish Conservative substitute for the Education, Children and Young People Committee is Roz McCall. Ms Smith has been asked to come along because she sought my agreement to ask questions. I have heard your concerns are on the record, Mr Rennie, but I would now like to go to the cabinet secretary.”

The row is the latest surrounding Ross's stewardship of the committee. Last week member John Mason MSP asked the Presiding Officer for advice, saying “bullying” of witnesses by Ross is “embarrassing” for the panel.