CALLS have been made for Tweeddale MP David Mundell to resign, after he abstained from a vote to rule out a no-deal Brexit.

On Wednesday night a motion was passed at Westminster ruling out such a scenario by 321 votes to 278.

But the Scottish Secretary was one of four cabinet ministers who did not take part.

And his decision has been slammed by SNP and Labour politicians, who want him to quit his front bench role.

Scottish Government Justice Minister Humza Yousaf said: “David Mundell is simply unfit to hold the position of Secretary of State for Scotland – he has voted against the interests of Scotland time and time again. Not voting against no deal is simply unforgivable, the chaos it would unleash would be catastrophic. Mundell has to go.”

In a night of drama, the Commons first voted on an amendment to reject the UK leaving the EU without a deal under any circumstances.

That was approved by a margin of just four.

That meant the Government’s original motion – which said that the UK should not leave Europe without a deal on March 29 – had to be changed.

But the Government had wanted to keep no-deal as the default, so then ordered Conservative MPs to vote against its own motion because it had been changed.

However that failed when some Tory ministers defied those orders.

Mr Mundell also came in for criticism from Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Lesley Laird. She said: “This is an absolute abdication of duty.

“David Mundell proclaimed that he would vote to take no deal off of the table but he appears to have caved under pressure. No deal is an economic and social calamity for our country. If he is not sacked, he should resign for the simple reason that his party thought it was a good idea to inflict that on the Scottish people.”

However, Mr Mundell said on Wednesday night he would not resign from the cabinet.

He also Tweeted: “I’ve always opposed a no-deal Brexit. The House made its view clear by agreeing the Spelman amendment, I didn’t think it was right for me to oppose that.

"The PM has my full support in her objective of leaving the EU with a deal to deliver an orderly Brexit.”