Referee MP gives himself red card over World Cup role
TORY MP Douglas Ross has given up the chance to be a World Cup referee following a backlash after he missed a vote to officiate at a Champions League match.
He said he will avoid football work while Parliament is sitting as he ‘can no longer do both’ jobs.
The Moray MP skipped a crucial Commons debate on Universal Credit last week to be a linesman as Barcelona faced Olympiakos – a role which earned him more than £1,000.
Last year, while an MSP, he missed a justice committee meeting for a Real Madrid and Sporting Lisbon match.
Mr Ross said: ‘I have been blessed to reach the top level in my chosen hobby and occupation and in all fairness to my No1 priority, as Moray’s MP, I recognise I can no longer do both.
‘I’m greatly indebted to the many local people who expressed their support for me to continue to referee.
‘While I have one of the highest voting records of any MP, and many of my political opponents – and fiercest critics of late – have several outside jobs and interests, I know the fury my last match caused will be repeated any time I am appointed to a match when Parliament is sitting.’
It is believed Mr Ross – who began refereeing in the Forres Welfare League nearly 15 years ago – earns £40,000 a year as an official.
After ousting SNP heavyweight Angus Robertson in June, Mr Ross said he would continue his refereeing career when it ‘did not interfere with parliamentary duties’.
But last week he was branded ‘two jobs Ross’ and Nationalist MP John McNally called for him to be ‘shown a red card’ – prompting Prime Minister Theresa May to come to his defence.
Mr Ross, 34, stressed he would have been unable to speak during the debate anyway, because so many other MPs wanted to contribute.
He claimed he had agreed with an opposition MP to miss the vote and cancel out their absences – a practice known as ‘pairing’. He said: ‘As MP for Moray, I gave a commitment to the people who elected me that I would always act in their best interests, which is why I have taken this decision.
‘While my dream officiating at the biggest football tournament in the world is now over, I hope I’ve shown current and future referees from our area that there are amazing opportunities out there. My sole focus now will be representing Moray.’
But Nationalist MSP Stewart Stevenson said: ‘This is an overdue but welcome first step, but he continues to flout his pre-election pledge that his refereeing won’t impact on his parliamentary duties. He may well be hoping for sympathy that he doesn’t get a trip to the World Cup, but that step alone is not good enough.’
‘An overdue but welcome first step’