You can't be guilty of treason if you didn't do it. Wallace was a prisoner of war

Mike Russell SNP

But the Scottish National Party criticised the move and said the Tories knew little about Scottish history.

Wallace was the hero of Mel Gibson's 1995 Holywood blockbuster film Braveheart.

So far, the motion has received the support of 11 Tory MSPs.

'International name'

Mr Gallie also called for Wallace to be recognised as a "patriot, loyal to his country in the days before the Union of the Crowns and Parliaments".

"William Wallace was somebody that Scotland can be proud of and today he is an international name," the South of Scotland MSP said.

"Surely we would all agree that he was a great patriot and he shouldn't have the stain of treason left over his name. He wasn't a traitor."

Phil Gallie: "Stain of treason"

Mr Gallie said that a pardon could also bolster Scotland's tourist industry.

Wallace won several victories against better-equipped invading English armies.

But he was betrayed after his defeat at the Battle of Falkirk and taken to London in chains where he was accused of treason.

He was then hung, drawn and quartered following a mock trial on the site of what is now London's Smithfield Market.

'Invading army'

SNP MSP Mike Russell said his party would not back the motion and accused the Conservatives of not knowing their Scottish history.

"You can't be guilty of treason if you didn't do it. Wallace was a prisoner of war," Mr Russell said.

"He was taken by an invading army and executed very brutally as part of an act of war.

"It may have been called treason but it certainly wasn't. In 1995 on St Andrew's Day, the Tories' Michael Forsyth described William Wallace as a `loser'.

"The Tories haven't changed, they still know very little about Scottish history."