PRESIDING Officer Alison Johnstone has apologised to a woman asked to leave a committee room in the parliament for wearing a scarf in the colours of the suffragette movement.

She told MSPs this had been “an error.”

Earlier today, we told of how a number of women coming to watch MSPs debate amendments to the Gender Recognition Reform Bill were asked to remove their scarves or leave the room. 

READ MORE: Woman in suffragette colours asked to leave Scottish Parliament committee room

Scottish Parliament security told one woman that her purple, white and green scarf was "political".

The woman, who tweets under the name Obsolesence, told The Herald she had been attending committee discussions on the Gender Recognition Reform Bill for months, but that this was the first time she had been asked to remove her scarf. 

She said she had been sitting in the room for the first ten minutes of the commitee's scrutiny of the more than 150 amendments to the legislation, when the clerk asked her to remove a scarf.

When she refused she was then asked to leave.

The women asked a security guard why now and not before, he said they had  previously been "missed."

The woman’s treatment sparked fury from politicians. The SNP’s Joanna Cherry suggested the parliament could have broken the law. 

She tweeted: "It seems no rule has been broken so this woman should be readmitted or the @scotparl could face a claim of discrimination on the grounds of belief, particularly where MSPs are permitted to wear rainbow colours. This is not my Scotland."

The Presiding Officer addressed the situation at the start of this afternoon’s business in the chamber. 

She told MSPs the request was made by officials “in connection with the parliament's code of conduct for visitors, which sets out that the display of banners, flags or political slogans, including on clothing and accessories is forbidden.”

Ms Johnstone said: “Let me make one thing crystal clear, suffrage colours are not and never have been banned at the Scottish Parliament. We actively support and promote universal suffrage in a number of ways at Holyrood and we will continue to do so.

“I would like to advise the chamber that the action taken this morning was not prompted by any members of the committee.

“The action taken was an error and I would like to apologise on behalf of the parliament. The wearing of a scarf in those colours does not in itself breach the visitor code of conduct. 

“The parliament wishes people to engage with the democratic process, including observing elected representatives debate and to make the law of the country.”

Wearing a purple, green and white tartan scarf, Tory MSP Rachel Hamilton welcomed the Presiding Officer’s statement. 

“I think it's important that you have confirmed that MSPs are treated exactly the same way as members of the public and the suffragette colours were not in breach of the guidelines set by this parliament,” she said. “So can I thank you for your intervention and for sharing that with parliament and being clear regarding that.”

The Herald:

Ms Cherry said the security staff should not take "sole responsibility."

She tweeted: "An underlying political culture typified by the #NoDebate lobby & a new #misogyny which has been allowed to flourish is what’s at fault. It’s time to address this problem."