MSPs decry US president's visit

First minister's questions was disrupted by a protest

Anti-war MSPs have spoken out against US President George W Bush's visit to the UK and his administration's foreign policies.

The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) condemned the visit and called for Mr Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair to be tried for war crimes.

An SSP debate on the subject of "world peace" allowed other MSPs to condemn the actions of the US and UK in the Iraq war.

First minister's questions, which was to have followed the debate, had to be delayed for several minutes after a protest from the public gallery by a man wearing a George Bush mask.

BBC Scotland political correspondent Glenn Campbell said the man, Kevin Williamson, was better known for his protests about the use of cannabis and was the SSP spokesman on drugs.

Mr Williamson had been signed into the parliament by the SSP, whose MSPs clapped as he made his protest, our correspondent said.

When parliament resumed, Presiding Office George Reid rebuked the MSPs who had applauded the demonstration

'Flattered and fawned over'

He warned the Socialists that any future disruption would result in official action being taken.

"I cannot think of anything being more disorderly than members of this house encouraging disorder in the public gallery, I shall not on any future occasion hesitate to apply the sanction and members know what that means," he told parliament.

Addressing the debate, SSP MSP Frances Curran said that while her party had no argument with ordinary Americans, it was vehemently opposed to the man in the White House.

The West of Scotland MSP said: "George Bush is being wined and dined, he's being flattered and fawned over throughout London.

"We want to counter that view of George Bush with the truth, because the truth is George Bush has blood on his hands.

"He has the blood of hundreds of Americans and the blood of tens of thousands of Afghans and Iraqis on his hands."

If Blair is a true friend of the US he'll tell Bush in no uncertain terms that he is on the wrong course Nicola Sturgeon MSP

Ms Curran's anti-war stance was echoed by Scottish National Party leader John Swinney who accused the First Minister of having misled the parliament three times in March by claiming Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and war was necessary to remove them

But the first minister denied the claims and hit back: "Iraq is quite a big place. Mr Swinney may not know it, but they haven't found Saddam Hussein either."

SNP justice spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon joined in the debate, claiming that America's foreign policies posed a threat to world peace.

"Bush said last night that Britain was America's best friend in the world - it might not be long before Britain is America's only friend," she said.

"But if Blair is a true friend of the US he'll tell Bush in no uncertain terms that he is on the wrong course."

'Delighted'

However Jack McConnell voiced his support for the American leader.

He said: "I for one, given the events of recent months, am absolutely delighted that Saddam Hussein no longer has access to weapons of mass destruction - because he is no longer in power in Iraq.

"Someone who was the most evil dictator in the world has been removed from office, his people are now free, and we now have an opportunity - and Scottish soldiers are playing a prime role in achieving this - to rebuild that country as a democratic, prosperous country."

Labour MSP John Home Robertson said the war would enable Iraqis to elect their own government and warned Saddam Hussein could return if the Allies left the country now.

Lib Dem backbencher Mike Rumbles called for action on the British people held at the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.