THE First Minister’s jibe about Conservative MSPs having second jobs wasn’t well received by one Tory representative in the Scottish Parliament.
After her Covid-19 update in Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon took questions on the pandemic and a number of other NHS issues.
During the session, Rachael Hamilton, Conservative MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, flagged several administrative issues connected to the coronavirus booster jag roll-out.
“Presiding Officer, this is a really frustrating place to work in!” she exclaimed. “In light of these unresolved issues, does the First Minister not think the best gift she could give to the NHS and to the people of Scotland is to sort out these issues here and now?”
The SNP leader quickly rose to her feet and told Hamilton: “We know many Conservatives find parliaments frustrating places to work in, which is possibly why so many of them have second jobs outside of parliament of course .. or in the case, second or third jobs outside of this parliament.” (Most likely a reference to MSP, MP, leader of the Scottish Conservatives and part-time referee Douglas Ross …)
As SNP MSPs applauded the response, a frustrated Hamilton could be seen mouthing “oh, come on”.
It emerged recently, amid a wider conversation on MPs holding second jobs sparked by the Owen Paterson scandal, that the Scottish Tories are collectively earning thousands from work carried out outside of Holyrood.
At the start of this month, seven Conservative MSPs had second job – estimated to bring £325,5000 in between them on top of their £64,740-a-year salary.
Alexander Burnett, who represents Aberdeenshire West, is making the most cash with the register of interests estimating his earnings are between £192,000 and £205,000.
READ MORE: Richest Conservative MPs listed as second jobs bring in up to £1m each
Hamilton’s colleagues Donald Cameron, Edward Mountain, Sandesh Gulhane, Finlay Carson and Jamie Halcro Johnston all bring in money from outside of the Parliament too.
Ross, their leader, has referred himself to the Westminster authorities after an investigation by The Herald revealed he’d failed to declare more than £28,000 of earnings from Holyrood and a series of football matches. He said the omissions were a “genuine mistake”.
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