Douglas Ross has reported himself to the Westminster Standards Commissioner after an investigation by The Herald revealed that he hadn’t declared more than £28,000 in earnings away from his salary as an MP.
It seems incredible that he thought he could get away without reporting his football income as an assistant referee or simply forgot to record very public earnings.
The Tory party is currently under severe pressure as the full extent of MP earnings from second and third jobs come to light with Owen Paterson forced to resign when his lobbying for Randox came to light.
Ross has been under fire from his constituents for some time for putting his SFA appearances and expenses ahead the interests of Moray. Last August the patriotic linesman opted to take up a £450 match fee and expenses to a match in Kilmarnock rather than be part of a VJ commemoration in Elgin. After being caught he apologised.
Last season Ross decided to stand for the Scottish Parliament to give him three public salaries plus whatever else he can pick up with contacts in Westminster and Holyrood.
The Herald reports:
DOUGLAS ROSS has referred himself to the Westminster authorities after a Herald investigation found he failed to declare more than £28,000 in salaries.
The Scottish Tory leader helped referee 16 football matches between October and January 2021, making almost £7,000, but did not record the income in the Commons register of interests.
My exclusive in tomorrow’s Herald: Douglas Ross has apologised and reported himself to Westminster’s Standards Commissioner after failing to declare more than £28,000 in earnings this year. #buyapaper pic.twitter.com/gIOvtLeEnR
— Hannah Rodger (@HRwritesnews) November 12, 2021
Tomorrow’s front page: Boris Johnson warned he can’t say no to independence mandate + Douglas Ross forced to apologise for missing VJ Day event pic.twitter.com/587OybjjNr
— The National (@ScotNational) August 16, 2020
Wait a minute,
So on VJ Day Dross @Douglas4Moray was actually Scamming Money
Can he get any Lower
Well, @BBCScotlandNews @STVNews ? pic.twitter.com/YT6qw5lIb1— Iain Dear (@Iain643) November 13, 2021
Before injury struck Ross was given the following fixtures:
19 September Celtic v Livingston SPFL
27 September Celtic v Hibs SPFL
1 November Celtic v Aberdeen Scottish Cup
29 November Celtic v Ross County League Cup
Ross also had four match appearances at Ibrox between 9 August and 19 December 2020 which kept him in the central belt for his political activities, picking up huge expenses and convenient for flights to London for his Westminster work.
On 8 October the SFA provided him with a lucrative international appointment, running the line at Wembley in a friendly between England and Wales, two days later he was assisting Don Robertson at Luxembourg v Cyprus.
CLICK HERE for Douglas Ross football appointments
A typical Tory twat. All for themselves and to hell with everyone else. He earns more from football than I earn in a year.
Wait a minute, Scottish referees are not dishonest they are good men. They don’t award penalties or sending offs or make the 18 yard box 20 yards for a certain team. I cannot believe this.