FORMER justice secretary Kenny MacAskill has said two trips across Scotland during the lockdown were made for medical reasons. 

The East Lothian MP has been under fire after the Courier reported that he'd made two 170-mile round trips between his second home in Banffshire and his East Lothian constituency.

According to the paper, the SNP was in his constituency office in Dunbar as recently as January 18.

But a hillwalker reported seeing the MP near Ben Rinnes in the north-east at the weekend - about 170 miles away.

The onlooker told the paper: "He scarpered down the hill after I asked if he was Kenny MacAskill. He left me playing with his dog for quite a bit, before he called down from close to his car for his pet.

"He then hopped in the car, with his boots on, which must have been wet as the mountain was covered in snow. I’ve never seen anyone look so guilty climbing a hill before."

A spokesman for the MP said: "Mr MacAskill has a house in Moray, as well as a flat in his constituency. He returned north before lockdown to be with close family at Christmas.

"He has remained there during continued lockdown other than two visits for medical-related appointments.

"On one of those occasions, he attended at his office to collect a set of keys stored there."

Scots LibDem leader Willie Rennie accused MacAskill of hypocrisy, pointing to his criticism of Dominic Cummings.

Rennie said: "As a former Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill must know that the lawmakers cannot afford to be the law breakers."

"He cannot sit in judgement of Dominic Cummings and expect to escape scot free when he copies his irresponsible behaviour."

East Lothian Tory councillor Craig Hoy said: "This smacks of hypocrisy. Just a few days ago, Kenny MacAskill lectured people in East Lothian about the importance of the rules applying to everyone.

"He pointed out that people are making 'huge sacrifices' and that it was 'galling when others flout rules and threaten us all’.

"He rightly conceded that the rich and privileged, such as MPs like himself, should be no different. The SNP must get to the bottom of this."

Speaking at the Scottish Government’s regular Covid briefing, Nicola Sturgeon stressed no one is "exempt" from lockdown restrictions.

The First Minister added: "We are all subject to these rules and we all have to make sure that within our own particular circumstances we are abiding by these rules.

"I know nothing infuriates people more than thinking there’s one rule for them and another rule for people in authority."

She said she had spoken to the party whip, but that she did not know the full details of the incident.