Why the double-job loophole allowing 24 MSPs to keep councillor jobs must close |
Earlier this week, two SNP councillors resigned three weeks after being elected as MSPs.
City of Edinburgh councillors Simita Kumar and Kate Campbell initially planned to stay in both roles, but have had an apparent change of heart.
The pair should be commended for having the guts to do what the 22 other councillors who were elected as MSPs in May have so far refused to countenance.
But didn’t the Scottish Parliament ban double jobbing last year, you may ask?
They did - however, a loophole provides MSPs-cum-councillors with a 372-day grace period, allowing them to stay in both posts until the next local government election.
SNP MSP Stephen Flynn had to stand down from Westminster, alongside fellow ex-MP Stephen Gethins. (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)
By comparison, members of the House of Commons must resign within 49 days, and members of the House of Lords have 14 days to step down.
Hence, the double by-elections being held in Aberdeen South and Arbroath and Broughty Ferry in two weeks.
MSPs sit in Holyrood on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays each week, not to mention sitting on committees, dealing with constituency casework, and performing other parliamentary........