Raking in the cash, the greed wins out as SNP's Westminster leader Blackford coins in £50,000 a year extra from lucrative outside interests; he needs to squirrel away as much money as possible because he has a limited future as an MP, and Nicola Sturgeon won't be in a position to save many of her cult from an anti SNP backlash at the ballot box

Dear All

The Scottish National Party if it is about anything is about self interest and personal wealth. When Angus Robertson lost his seat, many people in Scotland rejoiced as this pompous fool was kicked out by the electorate.

It was good, a night of celebration which also saw Alex Salmond, even more pompous than Robertson get slotted, their agony was even more severe as they both lost to Scottish Conservatives.

The failure for the worse SNP defeat in living memory rests with Scotland’s own ‘Poundland’ Angela Merkel, unpopular Nicola Sturgeon.

As Robertson got slotted there became a vacancy for leader, with a pool of stagnant talent to choose from, Ian Blackford emerged as the person to be the new SNP leader at Westminster.

If you think back to my previous posts, I highlighted the four groups that make up the SNP Cult, rich, muslim, homosexual and sein fein lite, Blackford is out of the rich clique. Having become leader, he hasn’t made an impact, he never will, his position is time sensitive, you see at some point Ian Blackford is going to lose at the ballot box possibly in the next election.

Many SNP MPs hang by a thread, they must know whether there is an election in 5 years or less, they are out the door, especially in Glasgow which saw Anne McLaughlin defeated recently. Some in Glasgow hang by less than a 100 votes, Glasgow East and Glasgow South West being two seats which presumably Scottish Labour will target along with holding Glasgow North East.

Blackford is in my opinion not a full time MP because he has made clear he will not be giving up his lucrative extra-parliamentary financial interests.

My view is that no MP in any party should have secondary paid employment, I think this is one of the major things which is massively wrong with our democracy, it is an outrage. Blackford probably knows that his position isn’t secure by any means, it is undermined by SNP stupidity on indyref 2, so he wants to keep raking in almost £50,000 a year on top of his £75,000 MP’s salary.

You can understand his logic; he knows he will be kicked out so why give up a steady and profitable earner.

Blackford said:

“I have been a hard-working MP and I will continue to be so. I do think there is a benefit from MPs having experience of life. The fact that I have had interests in business are something, which have helped shape my ability to make sure I can deliver as an MP.”

This is nonsense, it is just meaningless prattling, maybe he can expand and explain how his interests in business tied in with the people on benefits or people with other problems such as housing issues?

The fact is wider experience may or may not be useful.

If we look at this statement by him:

“My priority is, firstly, to represent my constituency and, secondly, to represent the SNP here in Westminster as group leader and I work extremely hard to ensure that I deliver on both of those priorities.”

What happens on a day that his outside interests which make him money clash with his SNP duties? Anyone daft enough to think he will endanger his £50,000  a year, it isn’t like his MP salary can be affected by anyone.

The issue of MPs’ outside interests has been a bone of contention for years because it saw many people in most parties basically abuse public trust and the system of democracy.

In 2015, Labour failed to get MPs’ second jobs banned which is why they should make this a commitment in any future manifesto, no more ‘guns for hire’.

Pete Wishart whose job hangs by a mere 21 votes said MPs should have one master, declaring:

“There should be no second jobs, no paid directorships, no outside interests with a financial return.”

I agree with him but I don’t see the political will to enact such a measure.

Maybe if there is a future Labour Government under Corbyn this matter can be looked at again, however if a careerist like Blair clone Owen Smith gets in, nothing will change.

Blackford can make 3,000 a month for eight hours’ work per quarter as Chairman of Golden Charter Trust Ltd, nice work if you can get it eh? He obviously has an eye on the future and his future as an MP is looking bleak.

Yours sincerely  

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University