Now Labour's Cathy Jamieson MSP to ignore Kelly Report

Surely the MSPs have not been locked in a time warp bubble over the summer and missed the public fury over the abuse of MPs expenses?

I seriously do wonder.

I ask because we now learn that Cathy Jamieson MSP is throwing her hat into the ring to become the next MP for Kilmarnock and Loudon following the announcement from Des Browne MP that he is to step down.

First we had Holyrood's most expensive MSP, Conservative, John "Bubbles" Lamont MSP announce he was going to stand for Westminster, then Labour's Margaret Curran MSP (the one who lost in Glasgow East and I advised to call for the recount), then along came Conservative Alex Johnstone MSP and now, bringing up the rear Labour's Cathy Jamieson MSP.

What angers me is that all four of them at some time have made it clear they will stay on as the MSP if they are fortunate enough to win as the MP for one year, and then stand down at the Scottish Parliamentary elections in 2011.

So, not only are they admitting that they will only be part time if they even win but that they don't give a stuff about their Parties signing up to the Kelly Report's proposals in full as promised by their Leaders, Gordon Brown and David Cameron nor will they follow the guidance in the report.







In fact the Kelly report is very clear in saying that this practice of sitting in two legislatures should end before the 2011 elections so in fact John Lamont, Cathy Jamieson, Alex Johnstone and Margaret Curran should decide to either (a) quit as MSPs now and fight the general election or (b) quit as a Westminster candidate now and focus on what they were elected to do which was a be a full time MSP.

The reason I say again to them to quit now is the new election expenses legislation starts on January 1st 2010, so now is the right time to make the decision, especially if they really believe in cleaning up politics?

John Lamont and Alex Johnstone are clearly an embarrassment to both of their leaders, Annabel Goldie and David Cameron as both leaders are on the record now accepting the Kelly report in full - will either of them be telling John Lamont and Alex Johnstone to drop one or other, or have they changed their minds?

Or, will they just sit back and wait for the election to come and go as they don't really expect to gain any more seats in Scotland? Even people in their own party think that the Cameron effect hasn't reached Scotland, and isn't likely to either.

It is just appalling that these MSPs have jumped on a bandwagon and are clearly sticking two fingers up at the people who voted for them, their part leaders and the public as a whole.

There are many politicians seriously trying to clean up politics and regain the trust of the British public after the awful expenses scandal, it is just a great pity that Cathy Jamieson, John Lamont, Alex Johnstone and Margaret Curran don't agree.

John Lamont is the most expensive MSP and the Conservatives stick their fingers up to Kelly Report

The latest batch of MSP expenses are out and there are two names that stand out John Lamont MSP and Jim Hume MSP, both of which have spent in excess of £20,000 in the last twelve months on postage and office costs.

Firstly, let us tackle the issue of dual mandate, something the Conservative leader in Scotland has long banged her drum about, however it appears that her MSPs aren't following the spirit of her campaign.

John Lamont MSP and Alex Johnstone MSP, both Conservatives, are sticking two fingers up at Annabel Goldie and David Cameron. In fact David Cameron only this morning said all parties must embrace the Kelly report, obviously he means everyone apart from John Lamont and Alex Johnstone - whats that "Dave"? Don't do as I do, do as I say. Caron talks about the Conservative Leader's words not matching Scottish Conservative actions.

And it isn't the first time that John "Bubbles" Lamonts has ignored David Cameron, read it here.

Who said the Conservatives have changed?

Anyway back to the most expensive MSP, John Lamont, who last year spent £26,952 on postage and office supplies.

The Conservatives had an answer for all of this public money being spent, obviously, saying that it was a large rural constituency which required "a lot of work" but then pointed at Liberal Democrats Jim Hume MSP, who claimed £20,234.22 and the Conservatives said Jim had a similar constituency!

Erm, what crap the Scottish Conservatives talk.

John Lamont represents Roxburgh & Berwickshire's 47,862 constituents in Holyrood.

Jim Hume represents (wait for it, you may want to get a drink) Ayr, Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley, Clydesdale, Cunninghame South, Dumfries, East Lothian, Galloway & Upper Nithsdale, Roxburgh & Berwickshire and Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale and their 514,105 constituents in Holyrood.

You see Jim Hume is the Regional MSP for the whole of the South of Scotland and the half a million constituents spread over nine constituencies whereas John Lamont has one constituency but is clearly not happy with being in Holyrood as he also now throwing his hat in the ring to stand for Westminster.

John Lamont MSP is clearly ignoring the Kelly Report and it's recommendations to clean up politics despite it receiving support from both David Cameron and Annabel Goldie.

Here is what one of John Lamont's constituents said on one of my earlier blog postings.

"I agree - what does he want London and Westminster or Edinburgh and Holyrood - he can't have his cake and eat it and as I voted for him as our MSP I would really like him to honour that commitment. This is just where Politicians fall down every time - they want the power and there is no greater political "bells on" than Westminster. The problem come the next election is that Scotland doesn't think the same way and John Lamont should remember that if successful in his Westminster bid he will have far less influence in Scotland as there may only be two or three Conservative MPS. Hardly a mandate for Cameron. He should stick to Holyrood and stand down as the Westminster candidate before he too is pushed."

One of the things Liberal Democrats Jim Hume MSP did was to write to many of his constituents across the whole Region and ask their opinions about the SNPs plans to sell off 25% of Scotland's forests to private developers. Jim Hume then released these findings and told his constituents the results.

Whereas John Lamont MSP surveyed, wrote, wrote again and did yet more surveys about the Borders railway - but - where are the results Mr Lamont? Are the surveys just chucked in a box in your office because you didn't get the answer you thought you were going to get?

It is time to clean up politics in the UK, and the Kelly Report goes down the right road and starts that process - it is a great pity that the Scottish Conservative MSP John Lamont is just sticking two fingers up to the whole process and obviously doesn't want to clean up politics!

Shame on them.

John Lamont MSP - should he quit now?

We should really ask the same question of Alex Johnstone MSP and Margaret Curran MSP as well as John Lamont.

All three of these MSPs now aspire to the House of Commons, one of them has a better chance than the other two and it would be great to see Margaret Curran beat the SNPs John Mason.

The question I suspect you are asking yourself is why should John Lamont quit as an MSP, my answer is he shouldn't. However he should quit if he is still aspiring to be an MP because as the Kelly report clearly states you shouldn't sit in to legislatures as he is trying to do.

In fact the Kelly report is saying that this practice of sitting in two legislatures should end before the 2011 elections so in fact John Lamont should decide to either (a) quit as an MSP now and fight the general election or (b) quit as a candidate now and focus on what he was elected to do which was a be a full time MSP.

John Lamont is clearly an embarrassment to both of his leaders, Annabel Goldie and David Cameron as they are both on the record now accepting the Kelly report in full - will either of them be telling John Lamont to drop one or other, or have they changed their minds?

Annabel Goldie has constantly hassled Alex Salmond about this dual mandate issue for a while but is now on the back foot and looking rather stupid because of both Alex Johnstone and John Lamont. However, now she will have to seriously think about what they are to do in light of the Kelly report.

The only people that lose out with these "Tory two job types" are the voters who deserve a full time MP and a full time MSP - not one