Badenoch and Strathspey MP suspended from Commons for attempting to remove the mace
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry was suspended from the Commons late yesterday afternoon after attempting to remove the parliamentary mace from the chamber.
Mr Hendry (SNP) took to the floor and could be heard to proclaim 'this is an outrage' as the debate on the UK Internal Market Bill came to a conclusion.
Deputy Speaker Dame Rosie Winteron told Mr Hendry that he must resume his seat but the SNP's Westminster spokesperson for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy remained standing in the middle of the floor.
Dame Rosie repeated her order for the local MP to take his seat and accused him of being 'very childish' but he refused to budge.
She told him: "The honourable gentleman should resume his seat and he knows that. This is just showing off."
Dame Rosie then asked the House: "Does he want to be named; is that what is happening?"
He then proceeded to pick up the parliamentary mace and walk towards the door of the chamber.
Dame Rosie said: "Oh for goodness sake" as Mr Hendy walked off with the mace.
He was stopped by the two House of Commons doorkeepers dressed in their traditional black attire who took the mace off him.
The formal procedure of 'naming' Mr Hendry meant that he was suspended from the House for the day’s sitting.
The mace is the symbol of royal authority and without it neither House can meet or pass laws.
The UK Internal Market Bill sets out how trade within the UK will operate post-Brexit.
But critics have claimed the legislation is a power grab by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government at the expense of Scotland and the other home nations.
The footage of Mr Hendry's protest was the top trending BBC News app video late last night.
The Strathy has asked the local MP for a comment.