SNP launch Edinburgh West general election campaign tomorrow
Michelle Thomson, SNP candidate in Edinburgh West, has spoken out against ‘double jobbing’, and condemns current LibDem MP Mike Crockart for backing the Tories and rejecting a ban.
The LibDem MP for Edinburgh West voted with the Tories to reject a ban on MPs carrying lucrative directorships alongside their parliamentary commitments.
“If I win this seat at Westminster, I will commit full time to the constituents of Edinburgh West rather than simultaneously act as some kind of adviser, director or business manager. I know women are great at multi-tasking but constituents deserve better than a part-time MP”, she said.
“Mr Crockart clearly has no such reservations and believes that it is perfectly viable to have a couple of jobs at once. I think voters deserve more than that.
“As a party, the SNP has made it very clear that we have no truck with Rifkind, Straw and all the others who back the idea of double jobbing. The LibDems are once again in bed with the Tories protecting the interests of the wealthy and elite.”
Following a Channel 4 programme that exposed Messrs Rifkind and Straw offering their services to a fictional Chinese company for rates of £5000-£8,000 a day, Labour moved a House of Commons motion to ban the practice. The Westminster SNP MPs voted in favour Labour’s motion, while the Tories and LibDems voted together to defeat it.
“The current position is, to my mind, ludicrous,” says Michelle Thomson. “Surely a salary of £67,060 a year plus generous expenses is enough for anyone to live on? I believe that those in elected office have an absolute duty to their constituents’ interests.
“Even apart from the row over ‘cash for access’ and the conflict of interests that can follow, I do not understand why any MP would have either the time or the need to earn additional money. If you want to earn millions, then don’t go into politics. You need to be absolutely committed to the job, not your pay packet.
“I grant that there are particular situations, such as family-run businesses for example, where elected representatives in either the Scottish or the Westminster Parliament retain a connection.
“That is a very different scenario from additional earnings such as Gordon Brown’s, currently almost a £1m a year. Is he representing the interests of his constituents in Fife?”
Comedian and broadcaster Hardeep Singh Kohli will be in Edinburgh West tomorrow morning to officially launch SNP candidate Michelle Thomson’s bid for a seat at Westminster.
Hardeep says: “Michelle is a fantastic person and so right for this task. She is completely without the pretensions you find in so many politicians. She genuinely cares and wants to bring real change.
“She has the endorsement of some very influential people like Angela Constance, Fiona Hyslop, Jim Sillars and Alex Neil. And, of course, me!
“I know she can do it. This is a great Campaign Hub and she has a fantastic team of committed folk around her. I wish her all the very best.”
Angela Constance MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, will also join tomorrow’s launch. She said: “Michelle has a proven track record. She’s an organiser, she gets things done and she is a great presenter on TV and radio.
“She knows and understands the challenges of running a small business and is an ideal candidate for Edinburgh West. She’s a warm and engaging person who genuinely cares and is committed to the community in which she has lived for more than 20 years.”
Michelle Thomson said: “Scottish politics has changed forever since last September and now is an incredibly exciting time to be involved so directly.
“We need to make sure that we have the strongest possible team of SNP MPs to hold the Westminster Government’s ‘feet to the fire’ on the big promises made before the Referendum.
“The people of this community have been let down by elected representatives doing one thing and saying another. Whether it is on tuition fees for students, the Bedroom Tax or paying down the debt, the UK parties seem unable to present any positive polices that help the voters of Edinburgh West.
“I want to see a Scotland that is growing stronger, more prosperous and fairer. Come 7 May, people in Edinburgh West have the opportunity to vote for integrity, honesty and real change for the better.”
The launch takes place at the SNP ‘Campaign Hub’ at 183 St. John’s Road from 10am.
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