Scottish Greens will vote to end ‘double-jobbing’ for MSPs
Scottish Green MSPs will vote to ban MSPs from holding second jobs as MPs or in the House of Lords after the 2026 election.
The amendments, brought by Tory MSP Graham Simpson and seconded by Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer, will be considered today as part of the Scottish Elections (Representation & Reform) Bill debate.
The ban on MSPs also serving in the Lords is a compromise based in part on a previous amendment introduced by Mr Greer.
If passed, the amendments would bring Scotland in line with the Welsh Parliament and Northern Irish Assembly, where ‘double jobbing’ is already banned.
Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer said:
“Being an MSP or MP is a full time job. Our constituents deserve full time representation. It is impossible to be an effective MSP in Edinburgh and MP in London at the same time.
“Being elected to serve our communities is a privilege. It requires elected representatives who are completely dedicated to the job and to their constituents, rather than those who are thinking more about their personal career ambitions.
“The recent behaviour of some MPs has certainly has certainly raised the profile of this problem, but these amendments are not about any individual. They are about democratic accountability and respect for Scotland’s Parliament. I hope that MSPs across all parties will put party interests to one side, focus on the principles and back these long overdue changes.”
Mr Greer added:
“The House of Lords is an antidemocratic, archaic and serially disgraced institution which had no place existing in the 20th century, never mind the 21st. The sooner we can be rid of it the better.
“Until that time though, it is right to exclude serving peers from also serving as MSPs. There is a clear conflict between someone being democratically elected and them sitting in the unelected, unaccountable House of Lords. Any peer who wants to serve in Holyrood should leave the Lords first.”