Councillors Filmed Burning Smith Report

A video showing three SNP councillors burning a copy of the Smith Commission report has been condemned.

Filmed outside Renfrewshire Council offices in Paisley, the YouTube clip shows councillors Brian Lawson, Will Mylet and Mags MacLaren with copies of the report on further devolution for the Scottish Parliament.

As they set fire to a copy above a bin, Mr Mylet said: "The Smith Commission report - this is exactly what we think about it.

"No real powers for Scotland yet again from Westminster. We've been lied to gain."

"There you go Gordon Brown - cheers.''

The original video was taken down but has been reposted by others.

A spokeswoman for the SNP said the stunt had "absolutely no part to play in moving the debate forward''.

"The SNP has been clear we will always welcome new powers for Scotland,'' she added.

"While we believe the Smith Commission proposals fall far short of the powers Scotland needs to thrive, it is important that we continue to make the case for more powers in a constructive way - as we always have done in the past.

"These kinds of acts do not have a part to play in moving the debate forward.

"This has been made perfectly clear to those involved, who realise their error and removed the video once this was raised with them.''

Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie called on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to "react swiftly to this silly and offensive nonsense''.

He said: "What these SNP councillors fail to understand is that they are condemning a report that their own party endorsed. They are clearly still progressing through the five stages of grief after the referendum.

"This is a test for Nicola Sturgeon's leadership. Will she tolerate this or send a strong signal to her members that there must be no more inappropriate stunts like this?"