DOUGLAS Ross has “serious” questions to answer on whether he used Westminster expenses to travel for his job as a football linesman, Scotland’s First Minister has said.
Reports in the Sunday Mail claim the Scottish Conservative leader’s advisers flagged concerns over 28 parliamentary travel claims which may have been combined with his work as a linesman.
John Swinney (below) has said the claims are “very significant” and has demanded Ross explains the expenses in detail.
Under UK parliamentary rules, MPs can only claim travel from their home airport – which was either Inverness or Aberdeen in Ross’s case when he was MP for Moray.
They can also claim for “diverted” journeys, but must supply detailed notes on the diversion.
The newspaper states Ross’s aides raised alarm in November 2021 over expense claims which included a £58 parking fee at Inverness Airport in July 2018 while Parliament was in recess.
It also stated £43 rail travel from Heathrow to central London was claimed the day after Ross was a linesman in a match in Iceland.
READ MORE: Douglas Ross has undermined his position as Scottish Tory leader, John Swinney says
Claims also include that he expensed a flight from London to Glasgow and £109 parking.
On November 1, 2020 it is alleged he claimed £48.99 for parking the day he refereed a Celtic game.
Ross (below) told the paper it was “not possible” to go from London to a football game as he would not have had his referee kit with him.
He said: “I have only ever claimed expenses related to my role as a member of Parliament and the costs of getting me to and from Westminster.
“These have all been agreed by IPSA, the independent body that oversees MPs’ expenses, but I would have no issue with them being scrutinised again.”
While Swinney said he did not want to “jump to conclusions”, he told journalists in Paisley on Sunday: “The report in the Sunday Mail this morning about Douglas Ross allegedly using public funds to support his career as a football linesman raises very significant issues and I think Douglas Ross has got to set out all of the information about this particular issue.
READ MORE: Douglas Ross accused of using MP expenses while working as assistant referee
“I’m not going to jump to conclusions about people. I don’t know the details about this, but [this] raises very, very significant concerns.
“Douglas Ross is normally the first to be out of the stables demanding that everybody sets out all of the information, so I think Mr Ross should do that right away because the story raises very significant and serious issues of the potential misuse of public funds.”
It comes after Ross confirmed he is standing as a candidate in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East in the General Election, after previously ruling it out to focus on his Holyrood responsibilities.
He has come under fire for his handling of the issue after David Duguid (below) was blocked from standing as the Scottish Tory candidate in the seat.
Duguid was taken to hospital in April, with party management taking the decision that he is “unable to stand” due to ill health – which Duguid has said is “simply incorrect”.
Speaking earlier on Sunday, Ross said all his expenses had been claimed within the rules.
He said: "I have only ever claimed expenses related to my role as a member of parliament and the costs of getting me to and from Westminster.
“These have all been agreed by IPSA, the independent body that oversees MPs expenses, but I would have no issue with them being scrutinised again.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel