Menu
Subscribe to Holyrood updates

Newsletter sign-up

Subscribe

Follow us

Scotland’s fortnightly political & current affairs magazine

Subscribe

Subscribe to Holyrood
by Staff reporter
02 March 2023
WATCH: Douglas Ross's angry response as First Minister's Questions suspended again by protester

WATCH: Douglas Ross's angry response as First Minister's Questions suspended again by protester

An angry Douglas Ross criticised a protester in the Scottish Parliament as First Minister's Questions was disrupted again.

The weekly session has been stopped several times in recent months as environmental protesters urge MSPs to oppose new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea.

The presiding officer has repeatedly suspended proceedings after visitors in the public gallery made noisy interruptions to parliamentary business.

Groups including Extinction Rebellion Scotland, Just Stop Oil Scotland and This is Rigged have taken part.

Today, a man was heard shouting about oil and gas as Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, pressed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on her government's controversial deposit return scheme (DRS), which aims to improve recycling rates but has been criticised by drinks producers.

The Moray MSP's microphone was still live when he sighed and said "f*** sake" in response to the interruption.

He later apologised to parliament and to his mother, who he said would be watching, for his "industrial language".

Ross said: "It's getting very tiresome, these constant interruptions at First Minister's Questions.

"We are here, democratically elected, to put questions to the first minister and when it gets disrupted like that people watching and people who want to hear the answers are getting pretty fed up with that childish behaviour."

 

Holyrood Newsletters

Holyrood provides comprehensive coverage of Scottish politics, offering award-winning reporting and analysis: Subscribe

Read the most recent article written by Staff reporter - Digital Health and Care Awards celebrate Scottish technology expertise.

Get award-winning journalism delivered straight to your inbox

Get award-winning journalism delivered straight to your inbox

Subscribe

Popular reads
Back to top