Almost 500 people have written to the Scottish Government in support of proposed laws banning MSPs from holding lucrative second jobs.
New legislation to crack down on outside earnings would mainly hit wealthy Tories who rake in a fortune from external business dealings.
Aristocrat Aberdeenshire West MSP Alexander Burnett’s register of interests reveals about £200,000 of extra earnings.
Highlands and Islands Conservative Edward Mountain declared £45,000 a year extra pay in connection with his fishing estate.
And Tory millionaire Donald Cameron earns about £50,000 a year on top of his MSP wage from non-executive directorships.
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The new legislation is being proposed by Labour’s Neil Findlay. He has lodged a Member’s Bill calling for an end to “conflicts of interest” and the “misuse of MSPs’ time for financial gain”.
Public consultation on the proposal ends on May 2 and many responses have already been posted on the Scottish Government’s website. Christine Nicoletti said: “If an MSP has another paying job, they cannot give their complete attention to the Parliament and their constituents.”
David Young said: “MSPs should be giving 100 per cent of their time and effort to the people who voted for them.”
Findlay said: “Being an MSP is an honour and it shouldn’t be a vehicle for self-enrichment.”
The Scottish Conservatives said: “This is just Neil Findlay’s latest attempt to make every MSP as listless and insular as Neil Findlay.”
