An aide to Culture Minister Mike Watson is to be allowed to keep her job, despite failing to back the government on a key hospital policy.

The Scottish Executive said Labour MSP Janis Hughes had not broken any rules.

The Glasgow Rutherglen MSP was one of five members of parliament who abstained from voting on plans for a massive shake-up of Glasgow's hospital provision.

She has come under pressure to leave her post following the resignation of fellow Labour aide Ken Macintosh, after he voted against the proposals which will see the city's accident and emergency units cut from five to two.

Ken Macintosh resigned from his post

The MSP for Eastwood resigned as a ministerial parliamentary aide (MPA) to Education Minister Cathy Jamieson.

Mr Macintosh was one of a number of Greater Glasgow MSPs who had been leading the fight against the changes which will see hospital services centralised.

He had been joined on public platforms opposing the proposals by Ms Hughes and her boss Mr Watson.

Key policy issues

Mr Watson, the MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, voted for the reorganisation despite campaigning against it amid concern about the future size of the Victoria Infirmary in his constituency.

He said he was bound by the convention of collective cabinet responsibility.

Ms Hughes, who is Mr Watson's parliamentary aide, was torn between backing executive policy or opposing the reforms.

Ministerial aides help Cabinet members fulfil their duties in parliament.

They are not paid any extra and they are not members of the government.

She did not support the executive in the vote. Therefore she should resign or be sacked

Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie

But according the Scottish ministerial code, they must support the executive on "key policy issues".

Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie said: "The Glasgow hospitals review is a major policy issue. She did not support the executive in the vote. Therefore she should resign or be sacked."

But the executive said she can keep her job because she fell into line in a later vote.

MSPs voted in favour of the shake-up by 62 votes to 52 with five abstentions.