NICOLA Sturgeon has had her say on the Lord Provost who was forced to apologise after claiming thousands of pounds worth of clothes, shoes and underwear on expenses.

Responding to Tory Adam Tomkins at First Minister’s Questions, the First Minister said that Eva Bolander had been “excellent” in her role.

Sturgeon added that leadership positions, such as lord provost, should not be only for those “who can afford to equip themselves" for those roles.

The SNP Glasgow Lord Provost yesterday apologised after she claimed £8000 in taxpayer-funded expenses.

READ MORE: Glasgow Lord Provost Eva Bolander apologises over £8000 expenses spend

Over the course of two years, the Swedish-born Bolander claimed expenses for hats, clothing, shoes, haircuts and nail treatments.

The Lord Provost’s claims were all within the rules and she said everything was done “in good faith”.

At this afternoon's FMQs, Tomkins, Conservative MSP for Glasgow, asked: “First Minister, the SNP’s Lord Provost has ripped off the people of Glasgow.

"Isn’t it time she went?”

Sturgeon replied: “Eva Bolander, who I think is an excellent Lord Provost for the city of Glasgow, has, I think, rightly and very frankly, reflected on some of the expense claims she made – all of which, I will say, were within the rules – but nevertheless, reflected on them and decided herself that she should not have made certain claims.

“I think that is the right decision.”

She added: “Beyond that, I think all of us as elected politicians have to be careful and considered about our expense claims.

“But I don’t think any of us want to have a situation where it’s only people who can take those roles, particularly those like lord provosts, that require attendance at a lot of formal functions – that it’s only people who can afford to equip themselves for that who can take on those roles.

“So I think the Lord Provost has herself reflected and I think she was absolutely right to do so.”