Labour MPs claimed a man watching them debate Russian interference was a Kremlim diplomat today - only for it to turn out he was an American.

Labour's Ben Bradshaw and Chris Bryant conferred and pointed after apparently seeing him taking pictures and video from the public gallery.

Mr Bryant then alerted the Commons doorkeepers and the man, who was wearing a grey suit and yellow tie, and he was escorted out of the debate.

But in farcical scenes, the anonymous man was let back into the Commons chamber within minutes after claiming he worked for a think tank.

Commons sources told MailOnline the man was in fact an American who took no photos or video of the debate.

Labour's Ben Bradshaw (pictured during today's debate) and Chris Bryant conferred after apparently seeing him taking pictures and video from the public gallery

Commons officials removed a man from a debate on Russian interference in Britain (pictured as the discussion began) today after MPs accused him of being a Kremlim diplomat

He insisted to reporters in Parliament that he worked for a think tank in London and could not have taken pictures even if he wanted to.

Taking pictures or video from Parliament's public galleries is strictly forbidden and until recently phones were entirely banned.

As the bizarre incident unfolded, the MPs could be seen pointing at the mystery man during a debate on Russian interference in UK politics.

However the man, speaking outside the public gallery, expressed his confusion at the accusations.

Speaking anonymously, he said: 'I work for a think tank in London, my phone is taped up over the camera so I can't take pictures.

'I was just here for the day, I didn't know what was happening.'

During the debate, Mr Bradshaw could be heard saying: 'He is from the Russian Embassy. He has been taking pictures.'

After several exchanges with Mr Bradshaw, Mr Bryant approached a door keeper to express concern and the man, who was wearing a grey suit and yellow tie, was temporarily removed from the gallery.

However, he returned several minutes later and remained in his seat for the rest of the debate.

A House of Commons spokesman said: 'A guest in the Public Gallery was using his mobile phone but was not filming.

'His phone was checked by the Doorkeepers and it was confirmed that there was no video footage'.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured in the Kremlin today) is accused of using fake news and propaganda to interfere in western politics

Liberal Democrat former minister Tom Brake, who secured the debate, tweeted: 'Spoken in my debate highlighting Russian interference in UK politics.

'The debate was enlivened by a Russian diplomat filming, against the rules, the debate from the public gallery and being asked to leave.

'He could just have watched it on Parliament TV.'

Mr Bryant also tweeted, saying: 'The doorkeepers have just removed a man from the public gallery for taking photos in the debate on Russia.'

His return prompted Mr Brake to tweet: 'I take it back. The Russian diplomat is still there, but no longer filming or taking pictures. Perhaps he's found the Parliamentary channel.'

During today's debate, Damian Collins, chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, also called on Facebook and Twitter to do more to research the activity of fake accounts

During the debate senior Conservative MPs have warned Britain's intelligence services must treat Russian online aggression as one of their number one priorities

Damian Collins, chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, also called on Facebook and Twitter to do more to research the activity of fake accounts.

He warned tech companies were waiting to be asked to act by official intelligence rather than being proactive, suggesting both sides needed to do more.

Conservative Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, backed the suggestion for a closer interest in Russian-linked activity as MPs debated Russian interference in UK politics and society.

'Russian spy' in 10 Downing Street: Ukrainian PM's interpreter who attended meeting with Theresa May is arrested on suspicion of being a Moscow spook

Ukraine's state security service SBU detained Yezhov on suspicion of working in the interests of Russia, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said today. Pictured: Groysman (left) with Theresa May at No 10. Behind them, circled, is Yezhov

An interpreter who visited 10 Downing Street in July has been arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of spying for Russia.

Stanislav Yezhov - an interpreter for the Ukrainian cabinet - was detained by the country's police today.

In a shocking Facebook post, Ukraine's prime minister Volodymyr Groysman said that Yezhov had 'long been working in the interests of a hostile government'.

It is not known, however, if he is accused of spying at the time he attended Downing Street in July.

Asked about the man visiting Downing Street, Mrs May told a press conference in Poland: 'I am aware of the reports in relation to a Ukrainian individual who attended Downing Street earlier in the summer.

'The matter is for the Ukrainian authorities.'

Ukraine's state security service SBU detained Yezhov, 39, on suspicion of working in the interests of Russia, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said today.

'Together with the Security Service of Ukraine, an official in the government's secretariat was found to be working for a long time in the interests of the enemy state. He was detained,' Groysman said on Facebook.