The position of Scottish Executive minister Mike Watson is "untenable" after his actions over the reorganisation of Glasgow hospitals, opposition politicians have said.

Mr Watson, who is minister for culture, sport and tourism, voted with his cabinet colleagues in favour of the hospitals shake-up, despite campaigning against the plan at public meetings.

The reorganisation will see the number of accident and emergency units in the city cut from five to two and in-patient services will be removed from the Victoria Infirmary and Stobhill Hospital.

Mr Watson was a vocal opponent of the plans, especially the downgrading of the Victoria, which lies in his Glasgow Cathcart constituency.

Nicola Sturgeon: "Hypocrisy"

Opposition politicians have accused him of breaching cabinet collective responsibility by speaking out against government policy.

However, Mr Watson said he was entitled to voice the concerns of his constituents and that it did not affect his standing as a minister.

The Scottish National Party health spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon renewed her call for Mr Watson to resign as a minister.

She told BBC Radio Scotland: "He has betrayed his constituents.

"He has been prancing around Glasgow for the last few months telling them he would oppose the plans for Glasgow's hospitals and then he goes to Edinburgh and votes for these plans.

Honourable course

"That kind of hypocritical behaviour is the kind of thing that people detest in politics. It gives politicians a bad name."

She said that the "only honourable course" of action for him was to resign from the cabinet and oppose the hospital shake-up from the backbenches.

Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie said: "Mike Watson quite clearly broke the rules on collective responsibility of ministers.

"He has quite publicly disagreed with the decision of Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm, who approved the decision.

"Mr Watson is trying to have his cake and eat it. If he doesn't believe in the policy he should resign."

A spokesperson for the executive said: "The first minister in his statements in the chamber at Question Time on Thursday made his and the executive's position clear on the issue of collective responsibility and we have nothing to add to that."