THE SNP has said it is irrelevant who leads the next Better Together campaign amid suggestions Ruth Davidson won’t take on the role.
It follows her controversial decision to take up a job with a lobbying firm while working as an MSP.
Last week the former Scottish Tory leader faced calls to resign after taking a paid job with public relations company Tulchan Communications as a senior adviser.
It came after The National exclusively revealed a conflict of interest regarding one of her new employer’s clients.
EXCLUSIVE: Ruth Davidson in row over new employer's anti-independence client
Davidson is to be paid £50,000 for 25 days’ work a year in addition to her MSP salary of £63,579. Her party has said the role is within all parliamentary and industry rules.
She did not rule out accepting a lead role in a pro-Union campaign at the next independence referendum after she stepped down as Scottish Tory chief in August. She also recently met former prime minister Tony Blair to discuss the prospect of a new vote.
But amid the critical headlines over her decision to work for the firm while still an MSP, commentators have suggested she could be a liability to the pro-Union campaign.
An SNP spokesman said Better Together had lost credibility over the “broken pledges” it made in 2014 when it insisted, for instance, only a No vote would ensure remaining in the EU.
“Davidson has failed consistently to represent the views of people in Scotland and now with her new main PR job she has given up properly representing her constituents as well,” he said. “Regardless of who leads the No campaign next time round, they’ll have their work cut out convincing people in Scotland to believe a single word they say.”
Pressure is building at Holyrood for MSPs to be banned from holding down a second job following a backlash against Davidson’s new appointment.
A total of 36 MSPs, including a dozen SNP backbenchers, have signed Labour MSP Neil Findlay’s Member’s Bill seeking to prevent members of the Scottish Parliament from taking up additional jobs.
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