Ex SNP MPs taking trips despite LOSING their seats – and YOU pay for them!
FORMER SNP MPs Alex Salmond and Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh are still representing the UK Parliament in Europe - despite losing their seats in last month’s election.
Alex Salmond LOSES seat to Tory Colin Clark
The nationalist party's former MPs have attended meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe - at the expense of the British taxpayer.
Just weeks ago, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called Theresa May’s decision to make Ian Duncan, the Tory MEP, a peer an “absolute abomination”.
Jackson Carlaw, deputy Scottish Conservative leader, said: “We know the Nationalists took defeat badly last month, and this hanging-on proves it.
“The SNP is forever moaning about the House of Lords and other so-called undemocratic outcomes. Both of these candidates were booted out by the electorate, yet still they pocket taxpayers’ cash when they should be moving on.
“In Nicola Sturgeon’s own words, that is a democratic ‘abomination’.”
Both former MPs lost their seats to Conservative candidates last month, with former SNP leader Mr Salmond defeated by Colin Clark and Mrs Ahmed-Sheikh losing her Ochil and South Perthshire constituency to Luke Graham.
Officials records show Mrs Ahmed-Sheikh attended two 3pm debates at the “talking shop” assembly in Strasbourg on June 26 and 27, while Mr Salmond signed in for the second debate.
The total cost of their trips is expected to be around £2,500, based on previous trips, and will be paid for by the House of Commons.
Both of these candidates were booted out by the electorate, yet still they pocket taxpayers’ cash when they should be moving on
The Assembly, a talking shop which describes itself as “the democratic conscience of greater Europe”, brings together 324 parliamentarians from 47 states four times a year.
Mr Salmond and Ms Ahmed-Sheikh were appointed as the SNP members of the Westminster delegation, a mix of around 18 MPs and Lords, in late 2015.
The Daily Mail quoted a Strasbourg source claiming that when parliamentarians were kicked out they did not normally “cling on”, adding: “The parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe was always seen as a jolly… an old-fashioned networking opportunity paid for by lavish expenses.”
A spokesman for the SNP said: “The existing UK delegation remains in place until replaced by the Speaker’s nomination within a six-month period of the election. This is the standard practice for all international delegations and necessary to ensure continuity of representation, as confirmed by Tory UK permanent representative Sir Roger Gale. The Council of Europe is indirectly elected and includes unelected peers.”
A spokesman for the House of Commons said MPs who were not returned at a general election could remain as members of a delegation for up to six months.