Coffee break tweet uproar

An MSP has defended comments he made on social networking site Twitter about a Holyrood committee meeting which lasted just 14 minutes.

SNP MSP Marco Biagi tweeted about the first meeting of the new education committee, saying he spent an hour chatting over coffee after the session.

The Edinburgh Central MSP then added: "That's how to govern a country."

His comments were criticised by Labour MP Ian Murray as "unfortunate and insensitive, given current pressures on my local schools". Mr Murray, referred to growing class sizes in Edinburgh, and said parents would be "furious" at Mr Biagi's comments.

After he was criticised, Mr Biagi tweeted: "Seven MSPs from three parties talked to each other about ed/culture priorities.

"That's a good thing. Never knew the refreshments were such an issue."