SKY News have been slammed for Unionist “nonsense” after a segment on Scottish independence.

In the wake of Ruth Davidson’s resignation, presenter Adam Boulton’s All Out Politics discussed whether “the Scotland-England Union is under threat”.

The nine-minute feature had two politicians on as guests to debate the question – Labour’s Paul Sweeney MP and Scottish Tory MP John Lamont.

No pro-independence politician was invited on to balance the duo, and Boulton failed to challenge factual inaccuracies from them.

The SNP have now lodged a complaint with Sky News over the segment.

Keith Brown, the SNP’s depute leader, said: “This is no way for a broadcaster – bound by rules on impartiality and accuracy – to host a discussion on the future relationship between Scotland and the rest of the UK, with two Unionist politicians and no pro-independence voice.

“We witnessed this kind of nonsense in the run up to the independence referendum in 2014, but it isn’t and won’t be tolerated any longer.

“It is crucial that broadcasters commit to cutting out this kind of misrepresentative news and current affairs output as the UK looks highly likely to be going into an election period soon.

“We await a reply from Sky News and will consider further action unless we get an adequate response.”

As well as failing to fairly frame the debate, having used the word “threat”, the party also pointed to the lack of scrutiny of claims by the two Unionist politicians.

During the debate, Sweeney said: “We need to look at the integrity of the United Kingdom as a whole, and that can only be achieved through reform of its structures.

“That is exactly what the Labour party is committed to. And that’s reflecting where the majority of both Scottish and British opinion lies on this.”

Despite Lamont echoing that this was the mood in Scotland, Boulton failed to mention that recent polling runs contrary to the claim.

In August, a survey published by Lord Ashcroft, the first to be carried out on the subject since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister, found 47% of voters wanted indyref2 within two years, compared to 45% who did not.

Sweeney also said a referendum under a Labour government should not happen “unless there’s a very clear mandate from a Scottish Parliament election, and that doesn’t exist currently”.

Boulton failed to challenge that point, despite the Scottish Parliament having voted for a second independence referendum in 2017, with the SNP also being elected on a manifesto saying the party would seek a new vote under a significant change in circumstances such as Brexit.

Without a pro-independence voice, Lamont and Sweeney’s only disagreements came on which party had the biggest Unionist credentials.

The Tory MP made a bizarre attack on Labour, saying the party “lost their deposit” in the Shetland by-election, and so “were in no position to stand up to the SNP”.

The Tories also lost their deposit in that vote.

Sky did not respond to a request for comment.