Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has suspended Scottish MP Brian Leishman and three other Labour MPs a week after they voted against the government’s Welfare Bill.
Mr Leishman, together with Neil Duncan-Jordan, Rachael Maskell and Chris Hinchliff will have the party whip removed and will sit as independents in the House of Commons.
There was talk around Westminster that other backbenchers will be suspended as Sir Keir dishes out punishment for the rebellion against the proposed shake-up of welfare payments that left the government with a £5bn hole to fill.
All three of those so far named were elected Labour MPs for the first time last year.
Three other Labour MPs – Rosena Allin Khan, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Mohammed Yasin – have been stripped of their trade envoy roles.
Altogether, 47 Labour MPs opposed the government’s proposed cuts to welfare and forced ministers to water down their plans.
Amid speculation that one or more of the four would join Jeremy Corbyn’s new left wing party, Mr Leishman said he wished to remain a Labour MP, adding that it was “not my duty as an MP to make people poorer”.
SNP Westminster Deputy Leader Pete Wishart MP said: “It says it all that the only Labour MP who has dared stand up for Scotland has been suspended by Keir Starmer – simply because he refused to betray his constituents like every other Scottish Labour MP has done repeatedly.
“For the Westminster-led Labour Party, it’s a sackable offence.
“This extroadinary move also raises serious questions for Scottish Labour branch manager Anas Sarwar who has zero credibility after rolling over on every damaging decision since the election – from the winter fuel and disability cuts, to the betrayal of Waspi women and children in poverty.
“Did Mr Sarwar give permission to suspend one of his MPs – and was he even asked? Or was it another decision imposed by Downing Street.
“This is another blow to the Labour Party ahead of the Scottish elections next year – where it’s clear only John Swinney and the SNP will always put Scotland first.”
source