SNP chief whip Rona Mackay has spoken of escalating online misogyny and a “nastiness” at Holyrood as she prepares to retire.

The Strathkelvin and Bearsden will step down in May after a decade at the Scottish Parliament, but while she applauded Holyrood’s work on subjects like domestic abuse, she argued opposition had become “a tad more tribal.”

She warned: “I think that’s probably got worse as a bit of nastiness has crept in.”

Joining the dozens of MSPs standing down in May — including Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes — in raising the issue of online abuse, she continued: “It’s probably not been ideal for women.

“I’ve been lucky but I know that some of my colleagues have had quite a stressful time online.

“By and large, it reflects life really and it’s just the way society is, I think, just now, and we just have to deal with it.”

On retirement, the former journalist added: “It’s been an amazing privilege for the past decade to be here to represent my constituents with Strathkelvin and Bearsden. 

“It’s definitely time to move on.”