RUTH Davidson has been urged to resign after it emerged she was paid £7500 on top of her Holyrood salary to appear as a pundit on ITV’s election night show.
The former Scottish Tory leader scooped the fee for her role in the broadcaster’s coverage on December 12.
The MSP, who is due to step down before the 2021 Holyrood election, receives a basic Scottish Parliament salary of £63,579.
READ MORE: Ruth Davidson paid HUGE fee to appear as pundit on ITV election show
One of the SNP candidates hoping to replace Davidson in her Edinburgh Central constituency is demanding that she resign early.
Angus Robertson, responding to reports of the ITV fee on Twitter, posted: “Another reminder why @RuthDavidsonMSP should resign. Edinburgh Central deserves an MSP that will put their constituents first.”
Davidson initially refused to disclose how much she received for the election night show. But an update to her Holyrood register of interests revealed the £7500 payment.
READ MORE: Ruth Davidson drops PR role after public and industry backlash
SNP MSP Rona Mackay urged the Tory to hand the fee back.
"Ruth Davidson's priority appears to be picking up thousands in outside earnings while neglecting her actual job,” Mackay said.
"Serving politicians who appear on election night broadcasts do so to represent their party – not to pick up a pay cheque. This payment is unprecedented – and she should now hand it back.”
The former Scottish Tory chief also faced calls to resign earlier this month when it was reported she is set to take up a role in the House of Lords.
That followed a public backlash in October when Davidson accepted a £50,000-a-year public relations job at international agency Tulchan. Within days, the MSP announced she would not take up the role.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson nominates Ruth Davidson for a seat in the Lords
Mackay added: "Public outrage might have forced Ms Davidson to U-turn on her attempt to take a job with a lobbying firm – but now she plans to take a seat in the House of Lords where, unfortunately, voters will be denied the chance to vote her out.
"While she's laughing all the way to the bank, Ruth Davidson might want to stop to consider the thousands of families forced into poverty because of her party's heartless policies."
A Scottish Tory spokesman said Davidson did not see the fee for the ITV appearance.
They commented: "Ruth was invited to appear on ITV's election night coverage and agreed. The programme set the fee structure for all of its presenters and pundits, and Ruth had no input into that process."
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