Moray's SNP MSP Richard Lochhead calls for Conservative MP Douglas Ross to resign before Scottish Parliament elections

MORAY'S SNP MSP Richard Lochhead has called for Douglas Ross to resign as the area's MP.

Mr Lochhead wants Scottish Conservative leader Mr Ross to step down from his role in the UK Parliament in time to hold a by-election in Moray on May 6, the same day as the Holyrood elections.

However, Douglas Ross has reiterated that he will continue as Moray's MP even if he is returned as an MSP, and accused Richard Lochhead and the SNP of "petty politicking".

Mr Ross has been placed at the top of the Tories’ Highlands and Islands regional list. At the last Scottish Parliament election in 2016, three Tories were elected as MSPs via this list.

Richard Lochhead claims it is untenable for Mr Ross to continue as an MP if elected as an MSP, while the estimated cost of hosting a separate by-election after May’s election is around £175,000.

He said: “I am urging Douglas Ross to resign from the UK Parliament to allow a by-election to take place on the same day as the Scottish Parliament elections.

"This will ensure Moray can have a full-time voice in Westminster and potentially save the taxpayer an estimated £175,000.

“The talk is that Mr Ross is only standing on the list so when his party flops at May’s election he can be more easily replaced as a list MSP, letting him scuttle off back to Westminster as an MP.

“He can’t possibly be in both Holyrood and Westminster at the same time and he is already notorious for struggling to balance all his current responsibilities as an SFA linesman, MP and party leader. Now he wants to add MSP to the list of jobs.

“Douglas Ross needs to put his full focus into being either an MSP or an MP. Any MSP will tell you that their current workload has never been bigger due to the pandemic.

“Neil Gray, MP for Airdrie and Shotts, is resigning his seat in time to have the by-election on May 6. Mr Ross’s own Tory colleague John Lamont resigned his Holyrood seat in 2017 to have the by-election on the same day at the UK elections that year. Douglas Ross needs to follow their example for the sake of Moray.”

However, Douglas Ross has said that he will continue as an MP if elected as an MSP in May's election – while only taking the salary for one of the two jobs – and accused the SNP of trying to take people's eyes off their "failure in government".

He said: “I said back in August when I became leader of the Scottish Conservatives that I would continue as local MP if I was returned as an MSP, it’s only taken Richard Lochhead seven months to catch up on that.

“I have said I will continue to do both roles while only accepting one salary and I will stay out of this petty politicking from the SNP and focus on the issues that really matter to people.

“This is another example of the SNP being desperate to get the attention away from their 14 years of failure in government and the sleaze surrounding the SNP and the Scottish Government.

“There is also some doubt about whether the Airdrie and Shotts by-election will take place on the same day as the Scottish election, it has certainly not been confirmed by the council. Again, it seems that Richard Lochhead is making comments without checking if they are true or not."