Red card for Tory MP after missing debate for football match

Downing Street refused to give its full backing to a Conservative MP who last night missed a debate on the roll-out of the government’s controversial Universal Credit scheme to referee a Champions League football match.

Douglas Ross, the MP for Moray, was a linesman in the fixture between Barcelona FC and Greek side Olympiakos that kicked off at the Nou Camp at 7:45pm, 45 minutes after debate ended in the House of Commons on the troubled benefit reform.

Labour said it was “completely unacceptable” for Mr Ross to miss a Commons debate to undertake a second job, and Theresa May was challenged over his absence by the SNP during Prime Minister’s Questions.

The government imposed a three-line whip on its MPS to abstain following the debate on a non-binding Labour motion calling for Universal Credit to be paused.

In pilot areas including Inverness, housing associations and anti-poverty campaigners have reported rising levels of rent arrears and evictions, with claimants being hit by delays of up to six weeks to receive their first payment.

Yesterday the Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke told a committee of MPS that one in 25 claimants had waited over ten weeks to receive their first payment, putting them at risk of homelessness and driving many to food banks.

Mrs May was asked about Mr Ross’s absence during Prime Minister’s Questions, with SNP MP John Mcnally brandishing a red card and asking: “What signal does she think this sends to hard-working members of the public who are expected to turn up for their day jobs or face sanctions?”

Mrs May claimed Mr Ross’s constituents were better off with a Conservative MP and said: “Scottish Conservative members are doing more for the interests of Scotland in this parliament than the Scottish Nationalists have ever done.”

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said whipping arrangements were not usually made public, but directed journalists to Mr Ross’s comments which suggest he “doesn’t believe this will affect the performance of his parliamentary duties”. However, when

asked

0 MP Douglas Ross was a linesman at the Barcelona v Olympiakos game last night

JOHN MCNALLY whether the Prime Minister backed Mr Ross’s view that missing debates for a second job did not interfere with an MP’S parliamentary duties, the spokesman did not comment.

Mr Corbyn’s spokesman said: “[Universal Credit] is an extremely serious matter, acknowledged by the former Tory prime minister John Major, and a number of Tory backbenchers.

“It’s an obligation on Conservative MPS, if they recognise the reality for their own constituents, to take part in this debate.

“If you’re an MP, that’s your first obligation, not to attend to your second job.”

“What signal does she think this sends to hard working members of the public who are expected to turn up for their day jobs or face sanctions?”