A LOCAL MSP has been reported to Scottish Parliament watchdogs after a bust-up with the leader of Inverclyde Council.

The SNP’s Stuart McMillan is the subject of an official complaint to the commissioner for ethical standards in Scotland, which investigates the conduct of MSPs.

It comes after Mr McMillan questioned Councillor Stephen McCabe about the local authority’s co-operation with a Scottish Parliament local government and regeneration committee hearing last week.

The SNP’s Mr McMillan hit out at the council for not sending an elected member along to give evidence about troubled regeneration firm Riverside Inverclyde during the session at Holyrood — and he insisted that councillors were asked to attend after his remarks were challenged by Mr McCabe.

Mr McMillan said: “It’s quite clear from correspondence that councillors were indeed asked to attend the committee meeting.

“This runs contrary to the claims and assertions of the council leader last week in his attempt to defend his administration.” But Mr McCabe has now repeated his statement that there was no specific request for councillors to be present.

He has also demanded an apology from Mr McMillan and reported him to the authorities.

Councillor McCabe told the Telegraph: “What he’s saying is absolutely factually wrong and questioning my integrity.

“If Mr McMillan is publicly questioning my integrity then he owes me an apology and I expect him to make a public apology.” The council chief says that a letter sent by committee convener Kevin Stewart MSP had asked for ‘a representative’ from the council to attend.

Two senior officials, Aubrey Fawcett and Stuart Jamieson, represented the council at last week’s Edinburgh hearing, joined by Riverside Inverclyde board member Alan McQuade, from Scottish Enterprise.