Dear All
22 of Scotland’s newly elected MSPs are also Councillors, so they face a choice give up their council seats or face accusations of “double-jobbing.”
In the past there has been much criticism of people having both roles and with public workers are facing pay freezes, it is morally bankrupt to hang on to these positions.
People need full time Councillors not part time Councillors on full pay.
In Glasgow, Labour’s new MSP Anne McTaggart has collected an additional £19,000. She is currently parked on three of the council’s raft of arms-length external organisations (Aleos).
So, she is raking it in.
Her party colleague, Hanzala Malik, collects around £11,000 in addition to his basic wages for his position as vice-chairman of the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.
In my opinion hanging on to a council seat having been elected to Holyrood is indefensible.
A Labour spokesman said:
“We don’t allow dual mandates. The people within local government elected last week will not be able to restand as councillors next year. They need to choose when they want to stand down. If they were to stand down now it would create the need for a by-election, so our newly elected MSPs have to do what they think is appropriate.”
Asked about party policy on accepting two salaries or additional responsibility allowances, such as Aleo payments, he said:
“A number of newly elected MSPs have special responsibilities as councillors and this is something they will have to reflect hard upon.”
Everyone holding a dual mandate should step down, saying that you are giving your salary to good causes as some have said doesn’t alter the fact that these newly elected people are doing something akin to bed blocking.
Regardless of party, the policy should be.
Out and that should come from all party leaders!
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
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