Tory leader demands that others resign, but fails to follow his own advice.
Douglas Ross (pictured) is “guilty of stunning hypocrisy” – after it emerged the Scottish Tory leader has broken the rules on dozens of occasions, by failing to declare thousands of pounds in outside earnings repeatedly over a period of five years.
After investigations by The Herald and Sunday Mail revealed Mr Ross failed to properly declare outside earnings from refereeing at least 42 football matches since 2017, Kirsten Oswald MP said Douglas Ross is “always quick to demand others resign for rule-breaking, even when they haven’t, but he now seems strangely reluctant to follow his own advice”.
On Saturday, The Herald revealed Mr Ross had broken parliamentary rules by failing to declare £28,218.57 in outside earnings from his second job as an MSP and third job as a football referee, including £6,728.57 from 16 football matches in 2020-2021.
A separate investigation from the Sunday Mail later found Mr Ross had also broken the rules by failing to declare income on time from a further 26 football games since being elected.
Commenting, SNP Westminster Deputy Leader Kirsten Oswald MP said:
“Douglas Ross is guilty of stunning hypocrisy after being caught red-handed breaking the rules over outside earnings on dozens of occasions.
“This can’t be explained away as a one-off error, now it’s clear the Scottish Tory leader is a repeat offender.
“Mr Ross is always quick to demand that others resign for rule-breaking, even when they haven’t, but he now seems strangely reluctant to follow his own advice.
“As always with the Tories, it seems to be one rule for them and another for everyone else.
“People will find it staggering that Mr Ross has voted to slash the incomes of the poorest in society through Universal Credit and other Tory cuts, while making thousands of pounds on the side and failing to declare it.
“It’s hard to see how Douglas Ross can continue in his role when he’s blown all credibility.
“It is surely only a matter of time before the Scottish Tories ditch him and look for a new leader.”
