New MP can keep his council post

Dear Editor Newly- elected Labour MP and councillor Hugh Gaffney was criticised by SNP group leader David Stocks for daring to continue in his two elected posts (Advertiser, September 6). Councillor Stocks claims the MP could have saved North Lanarkshire Council money, which could have been spent on vital services, if he had resigned his council seat.

Councillor Stocks surely cannot be unaware of the antics of one-time SNP First Minister Alex Salmond, now unseated and deposed, who had himself elected as both an MSP and MP at the same time, declaring he would continue to hold both posts and give some of his remuneration to charity.

While an elected member, Mr Salmond also found time to run his own unlimited company, write, host a radio programme and find spare time to attend Wimbledon and go globetrotting in America at the Ryder Cup, Scotland Week, a film premiere and other major attractions at a net cost of £20,000 to the taxpayer.

Nicola Sturgeon flew to America and back to have her painting put in a New York art gallery plus £ 20,000 of taxpayers money to send her painting to America.

Mr Gaffney will look after his constituents and if he finds the workload too heavy I am sure he will relinquish one of his roles but please give him credit for caring about his constituents and not himself.

Dual role Hugh Gaffney became Coatbridge’s MP a month after winning a council seat