SCOTTISH Tory interim leader Jackson Carlaw has been forced to apologise over a sexist remark directed at the First Minister.
In his first Holyrood appearance since taking up the post, following the resignation of Ruth Davidson, the Tory MSP found himself accused of "insulting practically every woman in the country".
He had clashed with Nicola Sturgeon as she said out her Programme for Government in Holyrood, and has now admitted she "got under my skin".
After being accused of hypocrisy on climate changed, she said: “Jackson Carlaw just criticised me for visiting Edinburgh Airport, but in his press release today he criticised us for not going ahead with cutting air passenger duty tax, so he's got to decide which side of the climate change debate Jackson Carlaw is on.
“I think it is probably embarrassment that is making his face go a little bit red when he looks at the achievements of this government compared to the achievement of his own party which is so obsessed with Brexit it's forgotten how to do anything else."
Carlaw then replied: “Not my skin tone again. Listen First Minister, at least I've got a full head of my own naturally coloured hair.”
MSPs jeered the remark, with Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh later urging MSPs "not to make personal quips".
The Scottish Tory leader has now apologised for his comment, and admitted that the First Minister had hit the mark.
He wrote on Twitter afterwards: "Apologies all, that was crass. And fair play to @NicolaSturgeon for getting under my (very red west of Scotland) skin."
Apologies all, that was crass. And fair play to @NicolaSturgeon for getting under my (very red west of Scotland) skin.
— Jackson Carlaw MSP (@Carlaw4Eastwood) September 3, 2019
Responding in the chamber, Sturgeon had said: “Let's not gloss over the fact that within a matter days of losing their female leader, the interim leader has managed to insult practically every woman in the country with that I would say rather ill advise quip at the start of his rather ill advised rant.”
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said he hoped parliamentarians wouldn’t be judged on the quality or colour of their hair.
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