TORY MP Douglas Ross has refused to meet Holyrood’s cross-party racial equality group despite being forced to apologise for saying he wanted to bring in ''tougher enforcement against gypsy travellers''.

Ross was asked to attend a meeting to raise his views and concerns with MSPs and human rights campaigners. However, the Tory MP for Moray declined the invite and failed to say why he was staying away.

Ross quit as a Highlands and Islands MSP after defeating SNP deputy leader Angus Roberston in Moray in the General Election in June.

In a letter to the equality group convenor Fulton MacGregor, Ross confirmed he would not be at the meeting on September 26. He said: “I am grateful for your invitation to attend the cross-party Group, however I will not be able to attend.

"I hope you have a useful discussion on this issue and all parties can work together to ensure the needs of both the travelling and settled communities are met.”

MacGregor suggested the refusal showed Ross was not serious about apologising for his remarks about gypsy traveller

MacGregor, an SNP MSP, hit out at Ross for not accepting the invite.

He said: “It is disappointing that Douglas Ross has refused our invite to this interesting and important meeting on issues faced by the gypsy/traveller community in Scotland.

“There is no doubt that this minority group faces significant discrimination – and comments by elected politicians such as those made recently by Douglas Ross do nothing to help change attitudes towards this vulnerable group, and instead deeper ingrain the discriminatory attitudes that are all too prevalent in our society.

He added that the rejection "speaks volumes about whether or not he is open to changing his negative attitudes towards a community that enriches Scotland culturally, socially and economically."

In response, a Scottish Tory spokesman said Ross was prepared to meet MacGregor at Westminster.

“Douglas can’t even attend every all-party group he gets invited to in Westminster, let alone Holyrood where he’s no longer an MSP," the spokesman said.

“If Fulton MacGregor is as keen to meet Douglas as his press activity suggests, he’d happily welcome him to the UK Parliament.”

Ross was criticised by opposition politicians and human rights groups for his comments about gypsy travellers. In the Meet The MPs interview series with Core Politics on YouTube last month Ross was asked what he would do if he was Prime Minister for the day.

He replied: "I would like to see tougher enforcement against gypsy travellers."

He said it was an issue within his Moray constituency and that land owners have faced court action and clean-up costs from camp sites.

Speaking later, Ross said: "I do apologise for saying that would be a number one priority as Prime Minister – that clearly wouldn't be the case for any Prime Minister. If I was given the opportunity to do that quick-fire interview again, I would definitely come up with a different priority."