RISHI Sunak was told Scottish people were being held “hostage in a territorial British colony” during today’s Prime Minister’s Questions.

Neale Hanvey, the Alba MP for Kirkcaldy, accused the new Tory leader of “hostility to Scotland’s democracy.”

His question was met with groans in the Commons as well as laughter from Speaker Lindsay Hoyle. 

One SNP MP described it as "grossly insulting" to "those that have experienced real colonialism."

Mr Hanvey, who defected from the SNP to Alex Salmond’s fledgling party last year, told Mr Sunak that “Scotland's energy resources… feed corporate profits and keep His Majesty's Treasury pumped full of cash to the tune of £8bn in the last nine months alone.” 

He added: “In return, candidates in the summer Tory leadership contest tried to outdo each other in their content and hostility to Scotland's democracy. 

“So without falling back on the, 'you've had your vote trope' can the Prime Minister tell me, is Scotland in a voluntary and respectful union of equals as claimed in 2014? Or are we hostages in a territorial British colony?“

Mr Sunak replied: “What people across Scotland rightly want to see is both their governments working constructively together to improve their lives. That's what we will do on this side of the house. 

“And part of that is actually supporting Scottish energy producers which, he is right, have a vital role to play in enabling our transition to net zero and improving our energy security. And those Scottish companies will have our full support."

Tweeting after the Commons session, the SNP MP Pete Wishart tweeted: "Imagine going round the doors trying to convince the Scottish people that they live in a ‘colony’.

"As well as grossly insulting those that have experienced real colonialism you would be laughed down the street. This sort of rubbish does not help our cause."