8 hours ago
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross is facing “significant and serious” allegations that he took travel at Westminster's expense in his role as a football linesman, the First Minister has said.
John Swinney said that if the Sunday Mail's report was accurate it would amount to a “potential misuse of public funds”.
The paper said Ross' advisers had raised concerns about 28 parliamentary travel applications that could be linked to the linesman's work.
The Scottish Conservative leader said the expenses had been approved by the independent parliamentary body IPSA and there was “no problem” with them being investigated again.
But Mr Swinney called on Mr Ross to “disclose” all available information on the matter.
Under UK Parliamentary rules, MPs can only apply to travel from airports in their own country.
In Mr Ross's case, when he was the Member of Parliament for Moray, it was Inverness or Aberdeen.
You can also claim for “diverted” journeys, but you must provide detailed notes about the diversion.
According to the Sunday Mail, in November 2021, Mr Ross's aides raised concerns about charges including a £58 parking fee at Inverness Airport.
This was written in July 2018, while Congress was in recess.
The report also said he was charged £43 for a train fare from Heathrow Airport to central London the day after he acted as a linesman at a match in Iceland.
Speaking in Paisley, Mr Swinney said: “Douglas Ross is normally the first person to jump out of the stable and demand that everyone come forward with full details. This case raises very significant and serious issues about the potential misuse of public funds and I think he should do so immediately.”
“Welcome Scrunitee.”
Further allegations against Mr Ross include claiming for a flight from London to Glasgow and a parking fee of £109.
On 1 November 2020, he allegedly charged £48.99 in parking fees on the day he refereed a Celtic match.
In response to this article, Ross said he had previously only claimed expenses related to his work as an MP.
He also argued that these budgets were approved by an independent parliamentary body that oversees spending.
Ross added that he has no problem with them being scrutinized again.
The Scottish Conservative leader told the paper that it would be “impossible” for him to travel to a football match from London because he doesn't have referee kit.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Megan Gallacher told BBC Scotland News on Sunday that party leaders would welcome further investigation.
She said: “He has been very clear that these issues arose several years ago but has also said that he would welcome further investigation into these matters.”
“These were approved by the IPSA Congress.”
The claim comes following an ongoing dispute over the effective cancellation of the election of Conservative candidate David Duguid.
Mr Ross is currently standing in the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency in place of Mr Duguid, who is in hospital for health reasons.
Scottish Conservative leader Craig Hoy previously told BBC Scotland News that Mr Ross had not been directly involved in the party executive's “unanimous” decision to allow Mr Duguid to stand, despite him being a member of the party's executive committee.
Hoy said Ross had not attended any meetings regarding the matter.
Mr Gallacher said on Sunday the party was “focused” on the election and that the decision to remove Mr Duguid from the list was due to “difficult circumstances”.
She added that the party only had 24 hours to find a candidate after the decision was made about Duguid's candidacy.
But Mr Swinney accused the Conservative party of “shameful behaviour”.
He said the full minutes of the meeting should be made public.
