A solicitor has clashed with MSPs over the consequences of Brexit for workers' rights.

Patrick McGuire, a solicitor who specialises in employment law, was questioned by two Conservative MSPs over written evidence he submitted to Holyrood's economy committee on the consequences of leaving the EU.

In his submission, McGuire argues Brexit "has left Scottish workers extremely vulnerable in terms of health and safety law, employment rights and discrimination".

The solicitor also argued it was Brussels not Westminster which has protected workers in Britain.

His assertion was probed by Conservative MSP Liam Kerr, who asked him a number of questions of employee rights legislation, which various UK governments introduced before Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973.

Kerr asked Mr McGuire to state when the first Race Relations Act was passed. McGuire wrongly answered 1970 after twice turning round to a colleague in the public gallery.

Later in the evidence session, Kerr quizzed Mr McGuire about when the Equal Pay Act was brought into force.

The solicitor said he "can't answer that question".

The committee session was then disrupted when Mr McGuire complained about Kerr shaking his head when he was talking about forms of UK employment law underpinned by European legislation.

McGuire said: "There are various, and indeed large numbers, of UK forms of legislation - primary and secondary, regulations and statuary instruments. And some primary legislation and some acts of parliament.

"With the exception of the ones that we have highlighted in this paper as the law currently stands - unfair dismissal and the national minimum wage - every other piece of legislation is on the statute book because of European Union law and because of the UK Government's requirement...

"It is wonderful, Mr Kerr, that you shake your head at me as I speak. It is nice to be invited to this committee and to have someone stare at me and shake their head at me".

Fellow Conservative MSP, and committee convener Gordon Lindhurst interrupted: "Mr McGuire, we will try to restrict ourselves to the evidence rather than political statements."

The solicitor complained he had made no political statement and he did not think it was "appropriate" for Kerr to shake his head.

SNP MSP John Mason, who is the deputy convener of the committee, raised a point of order calling on committee members to question witnesses "civilly".

Mason was joined by his SNP colleague, Gordon MacDonald, who said: "I have to ask is 20 minutes attacking a witness a good use of this committee's time?

"We are here to ask questions. There are ten of us in this committee who are here to ask questions of the whole panel."