First Minister calls for resignation over claims MP was threatened with 'a doing'

STV

First Minister Alex Salmond has called for a Labour MP to resign over comments he allegedly made to an SNP MP.

Dr Eilidh Whiteford has withdrawn from the Scottish Affairs Select Committee after claiming that chairman Ian Davidson threatened her with "a doing" during a private session last week.

The Banff and Buchan MP has now made a formal complaint against Mr Davidson, the MP for Glasgow South West, and told committee members that she will be withdrawing from all duties until he is relieved of his position.

The First Minister has joined the debate by calling for Mr Davidson's resignation.

Speaking on STV's Scotland Tonight programme, he said: "This is 2011 and men under any circumstances cannot use threatening language against women.

"I think Ian Davidson should do the decent thing and resign. Apologise and resign, as quickly as possible."

Mr Davidson apologised to the committee at the beginning of Tuesday's session. However, he denied that his remark had been threatening.

His apology was accepted by the committee's Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem members.

The Scottish Labour Party is expected to make a statement on the situation on Wednesday afternoon.

In June Mr Davidson referred to the SNP as neo-fascists during a debate on the Scotland Bill.

If he stays in post the relationship between SNP and Labour MPs could reach even lower depths.

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