Carolyn Leckie has become the first MSP to be expelled from the Scottish Parliament's debating chamber.

The Scottish Socialist was ordered to leave after a row with presiding officer George Reid, in which he asked her to make a point of order over the nursery nurses' strike after first minister's question time.  She protested until she was asked to leave the chamber.

After making a final warning, Reid asked her to stand and apologise, which she refused to do.  He then asked her to leave.

When Leckie showed no sign of doing so, the sitting was suspended for five minutes.

She eventually left the temporary parliament building at The Hub in Castlehill with fellow Scottish Socialists Tommy Sheridan, Colin Fox, Rosie Kane and Frances Curran, who were all met with cheers from 50 nursery nurses gathered outside.

"I think it is a disgrace that I make a point of order and I am told to wait until the end of first minister's questions to make the point," said Leckie.

"I am not prepared to wait and I have been chucked out of parliament for that.

"I think the shame is on them [MSPs] for not being prepared to discuss the cause of these women in parliament."

"I regret that parliamentary procedures are being used to silence the voices of nursery nurses who have been outside conducting a very dignified campaign," she added.

Reid returned to the issue at the end of the session.

"I will not have first minister's questions, which is a high point of the week, hijacked," he said.

"Majorities have rights as well as minorities in this chamber. I have no wish to create martyrs in this parliament.

"I have the power to suspend and I have the power to ask members to withdraw.

"But we should all be aware in this chamber that how this house is perceived by the people of Scotland, how we relate with the people of Scotland, is in our hands and use that responsibility wisely."