Glasgow MSP Annie Wells has been suspended from Holyrood for five days.

MSPs voted to approve the sanction proposed by the Standards committee for commenting on a report before it was published.

The Conservative MSP issued a statement on a report into prison reform contrary to the MSPs code of conduct.

Her conservative colleagues voted against the sanction but it was passed by 84 votes to 27.

Maurice Golden, Conservative MSP defended Ms Wells.

He said: “Annie is a responsible parliamentarian and an asset to this institution.”

He accepted Ms Wells was in breach of “what we believe is a technical charge.”

And he acused others of using it to score political points.

He added: “Annie Wells did not gain anything from the remarks she made. The report was already in the public domain.”