MSP Kelly kicked out of parliament
Rutherglen politican ejected from chamber
This is the moment Rutherglen MSP James Kelly was sensationally ejected from the Holyrood chamber yesterday afternoon (Tuesday).
Mr Kelly was removed by presiding officer Tricia Marwick after he refused repeated instructions to sit down.
MSP’s were debating the Trade Union Bill and its potential effect on Scotland when Mr Kelly said he wanted to raise a point of order about a ruling the presiding officer had made last week.
She deemed a government bid to lodge a legislative consent motion against the bill last week was incompetent, but Mr Kelly wanted to ask if the legal advice the presiding officer had been given on the matter was open to challenge.
After under a minute, Ms Marwick challenged him several times to make his point of order, prompting Mr Kelly to say he would if she stopped interrupting him.
Eventually, she told him to sit down and asked him to apologise.
When he refused several times, she kicked him out.
Security staff were then called to escort him off the premises.
He was banned from the rest of the day as well as today Wednesday.
It is believed to be the first time since the 2003-2007 session that any MSP has been told to leave.
Mr Kelly told the Reformer afterwards that MSP’s have three minutes to make a point of order.
He added: “It was an absolutely ridiculous decision.
“I only got one minute to make my point of order and that’s why I stood my ground.
“The second point I would make is I was due to speak in a health debate later in the day about the pressure on the NHS , the funding crisis and how that would affect constituents in Rutherglen and Cambuslang.
“Because of this decision, I have been debarred from properly representing my constituents.”
When asked if he would do the same thing again, he replied: “I have absolutely no regrets. “At the end of the day, I was speaking up for trade union rights and making a reasonable point.”
Ironically, Mr Kelly’s position as Labour’s business manager at Holyrood means he will need to deal with Ms Marwick on a regular basis.
Labour boost in Rutherglen constituency, page 22