MSP's bid for Westminster 'drives coach and horses' through commitment to Kelly recommendations

SNP MSP Bill Kidd is calling on the Holyrood leaders of the Labour and Tory parties to stop their MSPs seeking a dual mandate by standing for Westminster at the General Election and keeping their Holyrood seats – a move that goes against plans to reform Westminster.

Labour MSPs Margaret Curran and Cathy Jamieson and Tory MSPs John Lamont and Alex Johnstone are all standing in the forthcoming Westminster election, despite failing to tell the electorate in 2007 of their plans or planning to stand down if they happen to be elected.    There have been rumours other Labour MSPs would stand to fill seats being vacated by their Westminster counterparts.

Sir Christopher Kelly’s review into MPs' expenses, says that the practice of dual mandate should end by May 2011 – a date set to assist Northern Irish members.

In contrast First Minister Alex Salmond made it clear to the voters of Banff and Buchan and Gordon he would be seeking a dual mandate at both the 2005 and 2007 elections, and he would stand down at the forthcoming General Election.

Commenting, Glasgow MSP and deputy Whip Bill Kidd  said: “The SNP will not only abide by the rules of the Kelly Commission, but we will abide by the spirit of it.

“Kelly wants no more dual mandates and the SNP support that position.  It is ridiculous that Labour and Tory MSPs want to exploit a loophole put in specifically to help with the situation faced by politicians in Northern Ireland – to stand in both Westminster and Holyrood.

“This is the typical  rank hypocrisy we have come to expect from the Labour/Tory alliance. At no time in 2007 did Margaret Curran, John Lamont or Alex Johnstone tell the voters they were seeking a dual mandate at Westminster. In Margaret Curran’s case she already tried it with the electorate of Glasgow East who gave her a resounding ‘no’.

“And Cathy Jamieson’s last minute bid to jump from Gray’s sinking ship to Westminster has only made Labour’s situation worse. Labour and the Tories are playing games with the electorate - their lack of respect for voters across Scotland could not be clearer.

“It’s clear neither Ms Curran nor Ms Jamieson expect to be busy in either Parliament – before or after the election.

“When voters want to see Westminster refreshed and reformed Labour and the Tories are refusing to commit to real change.  No wonder Labour won’t legislate for real reform before the election.

“The positions of these MSPs raise questions about how seriously Iain Gray and Annabel Goldie are taking the recommendations of Sir Christopher’s report and what they will tell their MSPs to do.

“Unless they instruct these MSPs to make up their mind about which Parliament to sit in then Iain Gray and Annabel Goldie have lost all credibility on this issue and their supposed position on the Kelly recommendations.”