An SNP MSP has privately apologised for falsely claiming that anti-Catholic bias lay behind Lothian Buses’ decision to suspend services in Edinburgh on St Patrick's day - after being pressured from the Capital’s transport convener.

James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, sparked outrage when he claimed during a Holyrood debate earlier this month that he “could only assume” the bus company believed “Irish Catholics were to blame” for a rise in anti-social behaviour.

He also said: “Why else cancel buses only for the night of an ubiquitous Irish Catholic holiday when pubs were not open and there was a stay at home order in place?

SNP politician apologises for falsely accusing Lothian Buses of anti-Catholic bias for suspending Edinburgh services