Rumbles rumbled over trip to Italy
MSP said to have been abroad for almost two months despite his colleagues returning early
An MSP has failed to return from a holiday in Italy to attend the Scottish Parliament.
Lib Dem Mike Rumbles is facing criticism over the ongoing trip – believed to be in Tuscany – while Holyrood has been sitting for almost three weeks.
Part of his constituency has also been in lockdown.
The North East Scotland MSP – who has a £ 64,470 salary – insisted he is working remotely and continues to perform duties during the break.
But other politicians accused the 64-year- old of poor judgement in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis.
Parliamentary records show Rumbles apologised for missing a committee meeting to probe new farming legislation and ferry contracts last week.
He is understood to have been out of the country for almost two months – despite Holyrood reconvening early from recess on August 11.
Rumbles has been in Italy through a coronavirus outbreak that left his constituents in Aberdeen in a renewed lockdown.
The MSP even released a number of media statements throughout the crisis without revealing he was out of the country.
Pubs and restaurants were shut on August 5 and restrictions placed on travel and visits to other households after a spike in coronavirus cases linked to bars and nightlife in the city. The restrictions were only fully lifted by the Scottish Government last Thursday. After the Sunday Mail contacted Rumbles in the Mediterranean through his party, he said: “Like so many other MSPs, I have been working remotely every day replying to constituents’ problems, liaising with Parliamentary staff, lodging Parliamentary questions and voting on each day we have had remote voting.
“In other words, I have continued to perform my Parliamentary duties remotely every single day since Parliament went into recess.
“While remote working is not by any means perfect, it is something we have all had to get used to.”
Rumbles has submitted just three written questions to Parliament since the end of June and his last spoken contribution was at a committee meeting on June 24.
Ironically, his last written question was about the re opening of off ices after the corona virus pandemic– despite a long absence from his own office.
On August 20, he asked:
“Whether there is currently a legal ban on the opening of non- essent ial offices, or whether this is simply advice, and who decides what is essential and non- essential.”
Six days later, he missed a meeting of the Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity committee to discuss UK Government agriculture legislation and Scottish Government ferry contracts.
Rumbles has, however, been able to vote on Scottish Parliament business due to remote voting introduced as a result of Covid-19. But opposition MSPs have reacted angrily after it emerged he has been working from Italy rather than his constituency or Edinburgh.
Scottish Greens MSP John Finnie criticised the former Scottish Lib Dem leadership contender’s “staggeringly poor judgement”.
He added: “I’m sure Mr Rumbles’ constituents in the north-east, who have endured a local lockdown in recent weeks, will be astonished to learn he’s spent months on the continent topping up his tan. Everyone is entitled to a break but spending two months abroad while Parliament is sitting shows staggeringly poor judgement.”
The Lib Dems earlier this month backed the idea of new legislation to kick out MSPs who failed to turn up for Parliament.
It followed Conservative MSP Graham
Simpson announcing plans for a so-called Mackay’s Law to remove members who fail to take part in proceedings for six months. Former finance minister Derek Mackay resigned in February, on the eve of the Scottish Budget, over revelations he pestered a 16-year- old schoolboy on social media.
The Renfrewshire North and West MSP has not been seen at Holyrood since but has received more than £ 32,000 in pay over six months.
Simpson said: “It seems that Mike has been rumbled.
“My Members Bill to introduce Mackay’s Law, which would kick out MSPs who are absent for months without good reason, seeks to get the public their money’s worth from elected officials. In any other job, you don’t get to stay on holiday in Italy, you’ve got to show up and put in a shift.”
The Scottish Lib Dems did not respond to a request for comment from leader Willie Rennie or the party.
We also asked when Rumbles travelled to Italy, which part of the country he was in, when he was expected back and whether he owned a property there or was renting.
No answers were received to any of these questions.
Holyrood is usually in recess for two months between the end of June and beginning of September.
But it met through the summer for the first time since devolution 21 years ago in response to the coronavirus crisis.
The move came after the Parliament’s cross- par ty bureau unanimously recommended keeping proceedings ticking over during July and to return in full on August 11 – the same time schools reopened – and the suggestion was voted through.
MSPs have also been meeting on Thursdays for online and in- person sessions to discuss ministerial updates.
At the time the special arrangements were put in place, Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh wrote to MSPs to explain the proposals.
He said: “It’s clear this is going to be a very unusual summer for everyone across Scotland and the Parliament is no exception.
“There remains an active need for scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although as Presiding Officer I have powers to recall Parliament should the need arise, the business managers and I wanted to enable colleagues to make plans for the weeks ahead.”
The Holyrood chamber has been redesigned to allow social distancing with 50 of the 129 seats stripped out and MSPs are also now able to vote from outside the building.
Rumbles has taken advantage of this to vote from Italy on numerous occasions.
Last week Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced criticism for going on holiday to the Scottish Highlands while the UK Parliament has been in recess.
SNP Holyrood Chief Whip George Adam MSP said: “Political parties, like many businesses across the country, have been flexible and embraced remote working to accommodate colleagues during the pandemic – but this is taking liberties.
“Mike Rumbles might wish to consider what his constituents think of him sending apologies to Holyrood while he enjoys the Italian sunshine.
“And what about Wi l lie Rennie’s authority? He wants to be first minister but he can’t even get his own party members to come to their work.”
Italy remains on the UK’s list of “travel corridors” – which means citizens do not need to self- isolate when they return to Britain.