MSP makes public apology after asking Holyrood colleague her chest size, then trying to say sorry with £1 box of chocolates

AN MSP has made a public apology to a party colleague after asking the size of her breasts at a party.

Richard Lyle made the comment about the SNP staff member’s breasts at a party function.

The Uddingston and Bellshill MSP raised his voice to ask: “How big are your **** anyway?” across a table at the social function.

The following day, the politician tried to apologise by giving the woman a £1 box of Toffifee sweets.

Yesterday, Mr Lyle, 67, made a full apology when asked about the incident by The Sunday Post.

He said: “I made a comment which I regretted later, and I apologised later and the apology was accepted.

“I realised afterwards that my comment was inappropriate.

“I sought that person out and apologised, and gave her a box of chocolates by way of an apology. I did make a comment, I then regretted making that comment and I apologised to that person.

“It was at an SNP Christmas party, and it was an inappropriate comment that I do regret making and I fully apologise for it.”

The woman did not lodge a formal complaint after the MSP apologised the following day.

The incident is the latest to emerge in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal.

Politicians at Holyrood and Wesminster were accused of inappropriate behaviour, sexual harassment and assault.

The incident involving Mr Lyle emerged during an investigation into a fellow SNP MSP, Mark McDonald, who resigned from his cabinet position and later his party, after being accused of sexual harassment.

It is understood the woman’s boss was furious about the comments and confronted Mr Lyle about his behaviour, after which he apologised.

The woman said: “Richard Lyle sent me a box of Toffifee after that incident. Who even eats those anyway?

“I was embarrassed and the next day he brought in the chocolates.”

Anoher guest at the 2016 Christmas party said he was disgusted with the remarks, and said: “It was horrible and he should never have said that.

“It’s completely unacceptable to say anything like that and, to be honest, I think there should have been a complaint about it. Everyone was laughing and joking and having a good time, then when he asked about the woman’s chest size, it just turned the atmosphere totally sour.

“Everyone knew he had stepped over the line. It went too far.”

Last night, the SNP said the matter was resolved to the satisfaction of the woman and it was drawn to a close, with no need for any further action.

Mr Lyle is a senior figure in North Lanarkshire’s SNP branch, which has come under fire in recent years and has been plagued by infighting.

Last year British politics was rocked by a series of scandals, in the wake of the allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. Damian Green lost his job jobs as First Secretary of State and fellow Tory, Michael Fallon, resigned as Defence Secretary.

Children’s Minister Mark McDonald was forced to resign his cabinet post, and then ultimately quit the SNP to sit as independent at Holyrood, following allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women colleagues.

Earlier this year we revealed how the SNP brought in a firm of private investigators to probe claims that McDonald had sent female colleagues lewd texts and that one woman had woken in his hotel bed, also after an SNP Christmas party, with no idea how she got there.

A helpline has been set up for Holyrood staff to report problems.