Stewart Hosie, the SNP’s campaign director, said: “Douglas Ross must make an urgent statement to the Scottish Parliament about his expenses – and answer questions about these worrying reports.

“It’s bad enough that Mr Ross has three jobs, and threw his own colleague under a bus to take his seat but there are now very serious questions to answer about public money.”

Alex Salmond, the Alba Party leader, told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show: “He has stabbed David Duguid in the back in the most reprehensible manner.

“I’ve never seen anything like it and neither has the north east of Scotland and he is going to get his comeuppance.”

Meanwhile, Mr Duguid posted another statement on social media detailing how he had been able to go to his hospital’s shops in his wheelchair to buy newspapers.

He said: “I was a bit surprised to see so many of them describe me as ‘seriously ill’. That was true when I was in intensive care in ARI (Aberdeen Royal Infirmary) a month ago. But certainly not now.

“I continue to be fully focussed on my rehabilitation and making great progress daily.”