Douglas Ross denies MSP role is 'job insurance' if he fails in MP bid

If Douglas Ross wins the election for Westminster, he revealed that he plans to step down as the leader of the Scottish Conservatives.

Douglas Ross has rejected the notion that he has secured his employment by continuing to be a Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) if he is not elected to the British Parliament.

On Monday, Mr Ross proclaimed his resignation as the head of the Scottish Conservatives following the UK national election.

Nonetheless, he'll only step down from his position in Highlands and Islands Holyrood if he successfully obtains the job as MP for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, although this decision has been met with controversy due to his replacement of David Duguid as the candidate.

The UK parliamentary watchdog is currently examining complaints about a string of expense claims made by Mr Ross. Some have speculated that these claims may be related to his position as a prominent football linesman.

Last week, Mr. Ross revealed that he changed his mind and decided to run for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East instead of stepping down as a Member of Parliament.

The Scottish Conservative management board removed the former MP from their position after experiencing poor health.

After being in the hospital, Mr. Duguid challenged claims that he is gravely unwell. In addition, he was selected as a candidate by nearby party members.

The electoral constituency, which has undergone a boundary revision and is now known as Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, was represented by Mr Duguid since 2017.

Making an announcement about his choice to resign as the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Mr Ross conveyed that it was not practical for him to continue functioning in two different parliaments, while also carrying out his responsibilities as a leader and fulfilling his position as a Scottish football assistant referee.

Yesterday he informed the prime minister Rishi Sunak about his choice during their conversation.

According to Mr. Ross, he took note of his colleagues' concerns. However, he believes that his decision did not suggest that the Scottish Parliament was any less significant than the UK Parliament.

He strongly stated that his fellow members at Holyrood did not request for him to step down from his position as leader. Additionally, he denied creating an alternative plan in case he is not successful in his attempt to become a Member of Parliament.

During an interview with BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland, he acknowledged that his colleagues have expressed their desire for the leader of the Scottish Conservatives to have a presence in Holyrood.

I want to make it clear that I do not believe Holyrood is inferior to Westminster. The responsibilities and topics addressed by each parliament are distinct from one another.

In my opinion, there are several former leaders from different political parties occupying the back benches at Holyrood. Some of them are actively contributing, while others are not. I have demonstrated my commitment to supporting issues that affect the local community.

Mr Ross is being asked about several reimbursement requests that are supposedly related to his role as a high-ranking referee.

Mr. Ross is currently facing pressure due to recent reports by the Sunday Mail, which state that his advisors have expressed worries about a collection of travel expense assertions.

The article brought attention to 28 appeals for financial reimbursements related to travel. These requests concerned air transportation from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as the cost of parking at Inverness Airport.

Based on the regulations of the UK parliament, Members of Parliament are solely permitted to request reimbursement for travel expenses incurred traveling from their local airport. Note that for Mr. Ross, Moray is not home to any airport; hence he is eligible to apply for the costs of airfare from Aberdeen or Inverness airports.

There's a theory that the spending might be linked to Mr. Ross being a linesman recognized by the SFA.

In a recent statement, Mr. Ross confirmed that the expenses were given the green light by IPSA, which is an independent parliamentary group. He added that he would be completely fine with the expenses being re-examined if necessary.

The IPSA representative mentioned that they were evaluating grievances, but there wasn't any official inquiry initiated yet.

Mr. Ross mentioned that he supports the expenditure requests, and he feels at ease with the idea of IPSA examining them.

According to him, he mentioned that all the expenses he incurred were due to his work at the parliament and the travel to and from Westminster.

I feel at ease with the IPSA assessment.

I have frequently had to travel from various airports depending on the situation. The decision is usually based on factors such as the local conditions and the availability of flights. It is not necessary to have a designated home airport as per the rules.

He further stated that he was not responsible for defending the actions of others. He made it clear that he was being transparent and truthful about his circumstances.

The head minister, John Swinney, stated that the accusations are important and grave, and requested that Mr. Ross clarify the situation.

According to him, the accusations have the potential to be considered a "misuse of public funds".

The group has requested that Mr. Ross give a formal statement in the Scottish legislative assembly.

At the same time, the deputy leader of Scottish Labour, Jackie Baillie, stated that voters are well aware that the current Conservative government is useless when it comes to providing any benefits for Scotland.

It's not surprising that Douglas Ross has decided to stop trying to revive the struggling campaign of the Scottish Conservatives.

On Tuesday morning, Mr Ross went to the King's Theatre in Edinburgh just before the BBC Scotland leaders' debate.

The century-old structure is currently in the process of being renovated, with some financial help coming from the community ownership fund provided by the UK government.

As a portion of the Conservative administration's initiative to bridge the economic and social disparities across Scotland, Mr. Ross stated that it has achieved a significant and transformational triumph for numerous communities.

He expressed that "Leveling up" has supported numerous projects that otherwise would not have been initiated, as Scotland's local authorities are struggling to sustain essential services due to the cuts implemented by the SNP government. As a result, these projects would be unaffordable without the support of "Leveling up."