LABOUR has attacked "the culture of secrecy and bullying" in the Scottish Government amid revelations that the Education Secretary asked a college boss to consider his position after a dispute.

It emerged at the weekend that Mike Russell had reprimanded the chairman of Glasgow's Stow College, Kirk Ramsay, after a private conversation about controversial college reforms was recorded and distributed.

Mr Russell told Mr Ramsay his behaviour was "inconsistent" with the role of the chair of a publicly-funded college, and urged him to "consider his position".

Labour's college spokesman Neil Findlay said: "This is just another example of the culture of secrecy and bullying that permeates this SNP Government.

"Surely a discussion about the future of Scottish colleges deserves to be heard in public? What has Mike Russell got to hide?

"It is becoming almost impossible to get the true facts about Scottish education from Mike Russell."

He added: "I know that many staff in the further education sector are too frightened to speak out about the imposed reorganisation and budget cuts."

A spokesman for Mr Russell said Mr Ramsay did not ask permission to record the meeting.

The spokesman added: "He has still not provided details of those to whom he sent it nor has he provided the recording. He has also not apologised to any of those he recorded in this way.

"The Cabinet Secretary has made it clear that this behaviour falls well short of that expected from a publicly funded college chair.

"If the Labour party believe this is acceptable behaviour that is a matter for them to justify."