A SCOTTISH Tory MSP has been accused of being “ill at ease with democracy” after panning a Scottish council for recognising Palestine as a state.

The row was sparked when the SNP-run local authority in Dundee backed the “largely symbolic” move in a vote.

The city is twinned with Nablus in the West Bank and councillors heard from the Dundee Nablus Twinning Association, the Dundee Trades Union Council and Palestine’s ambassador to the UK before making their decision.

Some 23 city representatives voted in favour, with three Tory members opposed – they instead backed an amendment which said it should be for UK Government diplomats to decide on recognising Palestine as a state.

Responding to the news, Tory MSP Adam Tomkins tweeted: “In the long and bonkers tradition of local authorities making foreign policy up as they go...”

That comment sparked outrage, with senior SNP politicians hitting back.

The party’s depute leader Keith Brown replied: “Increasingly, someone ill at ease with democracy, local or otherwise...”

It comes after Tomkins was heavily criticised for arguing the Act of Union should no longer be based on consent, but rule of law.

READ MORE: Breaking down Adam Tomkin's plans to curb democracy with new Act of Union

Responding to the outgoing Tory MSP, Humza Yousaf highlighted a historic intervention by a Scottish council, when Glasgow granted Nelson Mandela the freedom of the city in 1981.

The Justice Secretary wrote: “Should we not applaud our Councils for looking beyond their own boundaries & taking positions on foreign affairs?

“If we left it to UK Govt, Glasgow would not have given Mandela freedom of the City, at a time when Tories were calling him a terrorist & calling for his execution.”

SNP MSP Sandra White added: "There are none so blind that cannot see the situation in Palestine and the oppression of the Palestinian people is Britain’s Shame, Thank You Dundee City Council."

But Tomkins was also backed by Conservative politicians.

Angus councillor and Holyrood candidate Braden Davy commented: "Nationalist run local council thinks it's job is international affairs. Running theme of nationalists reaching for powers they don't have to distract from their failures over powers they do."

LibDem councillor Fraser Macpherson, who proposed the motion, said after the vote that his colleagues should be proud of their decision.

“I think it is very disappointing that the UK Government has not acted on the vote in October 2014 whereby 247 votes to 12 the House of Commons did state that the government should recognise the State of Palestine in securing a peaceful future,” he said.

“I think it’s really important on the part of us that we put as much pressure as we can on our own government to act on the decision of the House of Commons.”

Tory representatives raised objections, but did not disagree with the principle of the motion.

Councillor Derek Scott said: “I do agree that Palestine should be recognised a state, but where I differ from the contribution so far is the timing of that.

“The government has said that the UK will recognise Palestine when it best serves the objectives of peace.

“I think I would defer to the diplomats in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who are best placed to make that judgement.”