The Scottish Conservative leader asked Nicola Sturgeon why the party of government lied to the press and the public over membership figures with Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone taking issue with the word “lie” being used in the chamber.

Douglas Ross asked: “The SNP said this story was 'flat wrong', 'malicious' and 'wholly inaccurate’ "They said nobody was 'gullible' enough to believe it.

"But the truth is, the SNP lied. That’s why the chief executive and their head of communications resigned."

Outgoing First Minister Nicola Sturgeon arrive for her last First Minster's Questions (FMQs) in the debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh

"So why would anybody be gullible enough to believe Nicola Sturgeon was unaware of what her Chief Executive and the most senior members of her own party were up to?"

Hitting back, the First Minister said: "Douglas Ross chooses the topics that he raises, and that is right and proper - but let it be noted that he's not asking me about the NHS, or the economy, or climate. He talks about party membership figures.

"I don't think the Tories should be lecturing anyone about honesty and integrity."

She added: “If Douglas Ross wants to talk about collapsing political parties, he should look at a poll about leaders' favourability ratings published this very morning - it doesn't make for very happy reading for Douglas Ross.

"I know Douglas Ross has difficulty deciding which Parliament is more important to Scotland, because he has one foot in each.

But I know which Parliament is most important to Scotland, and it's this one, our Scottish Parliament."

Labour leader Anas Sarwar used Nicola Sturgeon's last FMQs to demand a Holyrood election once the new FM is in place to ensure they have a "mandate" adding that there is not a single Scottish institution that is stronger now than when she first took over.

The Labour leader says the next first minister faces a "sky-high in-tray" - including record A&E waiting times, drug deaths, NHS vacancies, children without homes and homelessness claiming the SNP government has wasted public money and created a culture of "cover-up and secrecy".

Nicola Sturgeon hit back saying that her government has helped protect the founding principles of the NHS and that she remains proud of the government’s she has led.

Row over SNP membership figures dominates Nicola Sturgeon's final First Minister's Questions