MP: ‘I get more abuse for being a Tory than for being a linesman’

● Ross criticised for intervening in Celtic-rangers match last week

Douglas Ross has said he receives more online abuse for being a Conservative MP than for being a football linesman.

The Moray MP was at the centreofcontroversylastweek when he was filmed shouting “red card” at referee Willie Collum to help ensure the sending-off of Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic in a match against Rangers.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers questioned the actions of Mr Ross, saying: “The linesman couldn’t wait to give it and that’s not his job. His job is to assist in the decision, not to make it.”

But Mr Ross, 34, said he was shouting to be heard above the roar of the Ibrox crowd on Sunday – and revealed his email inbox and social media feeds were packed with “feedback” from fans before he left Glasgow.

His hopes of representing Scotland at this year’s World Cup were crushed after his decision to miss a vote in the House of Commons to officiate at a European tie was heavily criticised.

Mr Ross said the episode was “bruising” and revealed he knew as he stepped on to the pitch at the Camp Nou in Barcelona to run the line at a Champions League qualifier that his dream of getting to Russia this summer was over.

However, the referee

0 Douglas Ross has said he does not get wound up by online comments, but worries about staff members who deal with his messages an idiot’ rather than anything more sinister.

“Quite a few emails, a lot of Facebook messages and a lot of tweets, and that was before I had even left Glasgow to head home after the game.

“I used to get really wound up by comments on social media, either for the football or politics, but I am never going to convince these people so there’s no point.

“The only thing I would say is I have a duty of care to my staff. They have to read these messages and field the calls, so sometimes I worry about them.”

Last October Mr Ross was at the centre of a media storm when he missed a vote on Universal Credit to be an assistant referee at a Champions League match between Barcelona and Olympiakos in Spain.

SNP MP John Mcnally raised the issue in the Commons, even brandishing a red card, and Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to defend Mr Ross against charges he was more interested in his hobby than his constituents.