SNP MPs have issued a call for the reinstatement of Michelle Thomson after she was suspended over a police investigation into her property deals.

Ms Thomson was automatically suspended from the party after it emerged the property deals had been carried out by a solicitor struck off for misconduct.

But the SNP's national executive will now consider a request to restore the membership status of the Edinburgh West MP after the appeal by the party's Westminster group.

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It is understood that a motion calling for the party to reconsider readmitting Ms Thomson received unanimous backing at a meeting of the party's 54 MPs on Tuesday night.

The motion claims that Ms Thomson had been "denied natural justice" and that "her current situation has gone on for too long".

In the motion, it states: "The SNP Westminster Parliamentary Group requests that the National Executive Committee of the SNP urgently considers the position of Michelle Thomson MP with a view to accepting her back into party membership and therefore to the parliamentary whip.

"This request reflects concerns that her current situation has gone on for too long to no good purpose, and that she has been denied natural justice."

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The motion also states that during her suspension, Ms Thomson has been "a very loyal and extremely hard working member of parliament, while lacking the professional support available to others".

It concludes that any MP charged with an offence should have the whip removed, but says "that is not the case with Michelle Thomson MP".

However, the move is likely to cause trouble as the investigation into possible mortgage fraud committed by solicitor Christopher Hales is still ongoing.

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Police Scotland confirmed the investigation, which began in September 2015, remains active, but have previously said Ms Thomson was not personally its focus.

In August, Ms Thomson confirmed she had not yet been contacted by police.