SNP MSP John Mason blasted for backing motion celebrating Irish republic leader

John Mason is one of nine MSPs from the party, Labour and the Greens who signed the motion lodged by Greens leader Ross Greer MSP.

The motion states Edinburgh-born Connolly, who was a key figure in the violent rebellion in Dublin in Easter 2016, founding of the Irish Citizens' Army was "originally to defend workers involved in the Dublin Lockout of 1913 but which evolved into a revolutionary organisation committed to the establishment of an independent, socialist Ireland."

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It also "acknowledges Connolly's role as de-facto commander in chief of the 1916 Easter Rising against British rule in Ireland and his contribution to, and signing of, the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, which asserted mong other ideas as that the men and women of Ireland were equal and all guaranteed religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities, and his subsequent execution by a British firing squad, while tied to a chair on May 12, 1916."

James Connolly was the leader of the Easter risings

The controversial event has been dubbed by critics as a way of legitimising the use of the gun in Irish politics.

The Scottish Conservatives hit out at the MSPs - which included Tom Arthur of the SNP, Pauline McNeill, Alex Rowley and Elaine Smith from Labour, and Mark Ruskell, Patrick Harvie and John Finnie from the Greens - for causing "huge upset to people who've lost loved ones" and branded the group "naive".

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It's not the first time Mr Mason has provided controversial comments on the issue.

In a Twitter post last year he said: "You say Irish murderers. Others say freedom fighters. I support Scottish soldiers if they go good but not if they do bad."