THE SNP have moved to oust Douglas Ross from his Moray seat ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections.

The party has proposed legislation aimed at stopping politicians being an MP and MSP at the same time.

The SNP’s Alyn Smith introduced the Scottish Parliament (Disqualification of Members of the House of Commons) Bill to end dual mandates, an overt swipe at the Scottish Conservative leader, who has said he will stay on as an MP if he is elected to the Scottish Parliament in May.

Ross tops his party's regional list in the Highlands and Islands and is expected to return to Holyrood after leaving to take his seat in Westminster in 2017.

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The SNP have repeatedly urged him to resign his Moray seat to allow a by-election on the same day as the Holyrood poll, saying it would save up to £175,000 in taxpayers' money, however this figure has been disputed by the Tories.

Smith said: "I had to step down as MEP on my election to the UK Parliament and my colleague Neil Gray stood down as an MP before seeking election in the Scottish Parliament. That is right and proper and fair to our constituents.

"It is clear that Douglas Ross doesn't have the courage to put himself before voters in a Scottish election, and is keeping his MP job as a back-up. This is wrong.

"It seems that Tory leaders in Scotland have form on dodging democracy, with Baroness Davidson fleeing to the House of Lords and Ross too feart to stand for Holyrood.

"It is time for dual mandates to be consigned to history so representatives can properly serve their constituents – and my Bill will do just that."

Meanwhile, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said Ross's decision not to stand down from the Commons before seeking election to Holyrood is "not an expression of confidence".

The National: GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 27: Anas Sarwar enjoys a visit to Maxwell park following the announcement that the MSP is the new Scottish Labour leader on February 27, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. Mr Sarwar, who is the first minority ethnic leader of a major

Several high-profile MSPs have also held dual mandates, including Deputy First Minister John Swinney, retiring Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham and former first ministers Alex Salmond and Donald Dewar.

Tory MSP Annie Wells said: "The SNP and Labour are showing themselves up as shameless hypocrites.

"It's embarrassing to see SNP politicians decry the very thing that John Swinney and numerous other nationalist politicians have already done.

"Their brass neck is extraordinary. They are trying to outlaw dual mandates while one of their candidates runs to be an MP and MSP at the same time.

"Anas Sarwar has made himself look small and foolish by launching an SNP-inspired attack on the very thing that Donald Dewar did, while launching Labour's campaign in front of the Donald Dewar statue.

"He is putting divisive politics front and centre of his campaign and directing his fire on the Scottish Conservatives instead of the SNP, who are every unionist's real opponent."

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Alistair Carmichael MP, the chair of the Scottish LibDem campaign for Holyrood, said: "Not for the first time it appears that something the SNP were silent about when Alex Salmond did it is now unacceptable to them a few years later.

"They may have a fresh desire to airbrush history but Mr Salmond has the double pension to prove it.

"Double jobbing was wrong when Salmond did it and it is still wrong now. Those paying the price will be the voters. They deserve better than part-time service from their representatives."