BE RUTHLESS OVER MSPs’ LOBBY JOBS
Call for Holyrood to ban roles like Davidson’s
An MSP has demanded that Holyrood tightens rules on lobbying in the wake of Ruth Davidson’s two jobs scandal.
The ex-Scottish Conservative leader last week dropped a plan to take a £50,000 position with Tu lchan Communicat ions wh i l e s he continued to sit at Holyrood.
She backed dow n under pressure from politicians who said the 25 daya-year contract would have been a conf l ict of interest , and called for her to quit as an MSP.
The SNP’s Gordon Macdonald has now written to Holyrood’s standards committee chairman Bill Kidd to ask for a ban on working for a lobbying f irm while representing a Holyrood constituency.
He also wants MSPs to be able to ask urgent questions of the Scot t i sh Pa rl i amenta r y corporate body, which would have al lowed Davidson’s membership of the body to be scrutinised last week.
Macdonald said: “There was rightly outrage about Ruth Davidson’s attempt to take a well-paid job with a lobbying firm while still sitting as an MSP.
“That would have been a clear conflict of interest.
“MSPs have strict rules against taking paid lobbying – yet there is not an explicit ban on working for lobbying firms, which potential ly leaves a loophole to be exploited.
“We need to look again at these rules and ask if they’re fit for purpose.”
Davidson has insisted she sat down with parl iamentary officials to examine the code of conduct “to avoid any conflict”.
She added: “If I am asked to choose between Holyrood and this role, I choose the parliament I have dedicated the last nine years to, eight as party leader, a decision Tulchan supports.”
Davidson has also set up a f i rm c a l led K i rk holm Broadlands with her partner Jen Wilson, on top of her work as an MSP.