By Chris McCall,Taite Johnson

Copyright walesonline

A minister has resigned from the Scottish Government following accusations of “aggressively” grabbing a Tory MSP in the Holyrood chamber during an argument over the subject of seagulls. Jamie Hepburn handed his resignation to John Swinney today, hours after an official complaint was lodged against him by Douglas Ross. The Cumbernauld MSP, who served as minister for parliamentary business, chose to step down from his Government role rather than face an investigation into whether his actions this week violated the ministerial code. In a letter to the First Minister, he said: “my interaction with Douglas Ross fell well short” of his own “personal code of practice”. Ross, a former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, disclosed details on Thursday of his confrontation with Hepburn, reports the Daily Record . Holyrood was shocked when he accused the SNP minister of “physical assault and verbal abuse” towards him. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter here The incident occurred as MSPs were exiting the Scottish Parliament chamber on Wednesday evening at the end of the day’s proceedings. An irate Hepburn approached Ross after the Tory had raised a point of order to complain about not being invited to a Government summit scheduled for next week on how to address the issue of seagulls terrorising communities. Ross’s intervention had momentarily delayed MSPs from voting on significant justice reforms to abolish the controversial not proven verdict after years of campaigning. Hepburn subsequently informed journalists he had “put my hand on his shoulder” and “probably used a few choice words I shouldn’t have” – but rejected claims he had assaulted Ross. Scottish Government officials denied on Thursday that Hepburn would step down over the incident. However, the situation rapidly shifted after Ross wrote a letter to the First Minister on Friday morning insisting he take action. Ross informed the SNP leader: “Aggressively grabbing a fellow MSP, raising one’s voice in anger, and using foul and abusive language falls well below the standards set out. This amounts to bullying behaviour and, in my view, is a clear breach of the Ministerial Code. “I fear for other colleagues who may be exposed to this behaviour if Mr Hepburn continues in his position of power within your government.” Hours afterwards, Hepburn declared he would be stepping down. His correspondence to Swinney stated: “Over the course of yesterday evening and today I have been reflecting on the incident that has been widely reported in the media in the last two days and discussing it with my family. “I have come to conclude that I want to offer my resignation as your Minister for Parliamentary Business. “I understand that that a complaint has been made to you with a suggestion that I be referred to the Independent Advisers on the Scottish Ministerial Code. “Irrespective of whether or not the Ministerial Code has been breached, even if there had been no complaint made, I believe I have not acted in accordance with my own personal code of practice. “This decision is one that I feel is for the best in these circumstances and the one that for my own part feel is the appropriate course of action. “I hope it would be felt by most, and not least you, that in my personal and professional undertakings I have always tried to act courteously in interacting with colleagues, either of our own party or others. “There is no denying that my interaction with Douglas Ross fell well short of that standard. “Despite whatever annoyance I felt at that particular moment, there is a manner in which that might have been conveyed, or indeed shouldn’t have been conveyed. That is not in utilising the language that I did. “I hope it is recognised on your part and others that this behaviour was quite out of character on my part.”