Scottish Labour is planning a double job clampdown by banning its MSPs from standing for Westminster. Members eyeing a move to the Commons at a future general election will have to stand down from Holyrood before any selection contest begins.
Parties have allowed their politicians to sit in two parliaments at one time, sparking fierce criticism. The "dual mandate" practice raises questions about whether it is possible to do two jobs properly.
Famous double jobbers include former First Minister Alex Salmond, who was an MP and MSP when he led the country, and Scots Tory leader Douglas Ross. A committee of Scottish Labour’s governing body has recommended closing down this option for the party’s 22 MSPs.
The proposal states: “No sitting member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) shall be eligible to seek selection to be a General Election candidate.”
In practice, a Labour MSP would have to sacrifice their place at Holyrood before trying to become a Westminster candidate. They would run the risk of not getting selected or winning the seat while having no place at Holyrood.
A final decision on the plan will be made by the party’s Scottish Executive Committee. A source said it looked bad for MSPs who had only been elected last year ago to leave so soon.
The insider said the ban would show Labour and its MSPs are committed to Holyrood. It echoes an SNP rule change ahead of the last Holyrood election that required MPs who wanted to stand for the Scottish Parliament to quit Westminster.
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “The final procedures on selections are a matter for the Scottish Executive Committee, but it is clear that the public rightly has no patience for double jobbing parliamentarians. Voters expect those elected to Holyrood to focus on standing up for them there, not doing a Douglas Ross and playing the part-time politician.”
A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: “This attack is pathetic hypocrisy when Labour First Ministers have served as both an MP and MSP at the same time and one of their current MSPs remains a member of the House of Lords. They know fine well that Douglas will be standing down as an MP at the next general election.”
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