MSPs have voted to suspend Mark McDonald from parliament.

The Aberdeen Donside MSPs month-long exclusion, without pay, from Holyrood will start in September.

The ex-SNP minister, who is now serving as an independent after resigning from the party, was probed by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland over allegations that he behaved improperly towards colleagues.

Last week the body has decided Mr McDonald’s actions constituted sexual harassment and recommended the suspension, which was today backed by MSPs at the Scottish Parliament.

During a vote on the issue this afternoon 101 MSPs backed the proposed exclusion and six abstained.