RUTH Davidson is coming under pressure to quit as an MSP after she raked in £7500 for a night of punditry with ITV.
When news first broke of the former Tory leader’s job on the channel’s election night programme she refused to disclose how much she was being paid.
But yesterday she was forced to declare the startling sum in her register of interests.
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The entry states: “On January 24, 2020 I was paid a £7500 fee by ITV (of 200 Grays Inn Rd, Holborn, London WC1X 8XZ) for participating in the network’s election night coverage. [Registered February 12, 2020]”.
Reports said the BBC had also been interested in hiring Davidson for their election coverage, but bosses were unwilling to match the ITV fee.
Angus Robertson (above), who is currently vying to be the SNP candidate in Edinburgh Central, which is Davidson’s seat, called on the Tory to stand down. “Another reminder why @RuthDavidsonMSP should resign. Edinburgh Central deserves an MSP that will put their constituents first,” he tweeted. The SNP called on her to hand the money back.
Labour MSP Neil Findlay, who has previously campaigned for politicians to be banned from taking second jobs, accused Davidson of putting politicians into disrepute.
He said: “She is a mercenary who’s sole motivation now appears to be making as much money as possible from her political connections – it brings politics into disrepute.”
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SNP MSP Rona Mackay (below) said: “Serving politicians who appear on election night broadcasts do so to represent their party – not to pick up a pay cheque. This payment is unprecedented – and she should now hand it back.”
She added: “While she’s laughing all the way to the bank, Ruth Davidson might want to stop to consider the thousands of families forced into poverty because of her party’s heartless policies.”
It’s not the first time the Tory has been involved in a row over a second job.
Last year she took on a £50,000-a-year job as a lobbyist for Tulchan Communications. But she was forced to give it up after the appointment sparked outrage. Davidson has said she will stand down at the next election. She is expected to soon be punted up to the House of Lords like her predecessor as Scottish Tory leader, Annabel Goldie.
READ MORE: Ruth Davidson paid HUGE fee to appear as pundit on ITV election show
The chances of her resigning are slim. Standing down as an MSP would cause a by-election, where the SNP would almost certainly overturn the Tory majority of 610.
A Scottish Tory spokesman said: “Ruth was invited to appear on ITV’s election night coverage and agreed. The programme set the fee structure for all of its presenters and pundits, and Ruth had no input.”
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