Two jobs Lord Foulkes to quit Holyrood

Labour Peer, Lord Foulkes who is also an MSP is to quit Holyrood in favour of the House of Lords, but not until May next year at the Scottish elections.

In the Scotsman Lord Foulkes said:

"I have made it clear my name is not to go forward even for an allegedly 'unwinnable' seat."

Lord Foulkes has apparently, with others been disappointed by Holyrood.

"Up until now, Holyrood has, for various reasons, disappointed some of us who were among the founders of the institution."

 Surely though as one of the founders as he states he should have influenced changes to improve it?

But he is happier now he has seen the calibre of the candidates from all parties who are putting their names forward to stand in next years elections.

"I see among the new candidates being selected for all parties great hope for the future and the opportunity for it now to really fulfil its potential."

Lord Foulkes was elected to Holyrood in 2007. As well as being a life peer, he has also previously served as an MP.  When Labour won the 1997 general election he was made a junior minister in the Department of International Development before later becoming Minister of State for Scotland.

SNP spend £1million on ministers limos

As hundreds and thousands of us face tightening our belts and watching the household spending the SNP ministers carry on living a life of luxury at taxpayers expense.

A total of £929,899 has been spent on ferrying around ministers and senior government officials, and a further £65,759 on private hire vehicles.

The cost of running and maintaining a 25-car fleet, plus staff costs, had increased compared to previous years.

The SNP finance minister John Swinney was criticised earlier this year for making a 200-yard journey to a television studio in a chauffeur-driven limousine.


Perhaps he like other ministers should learn to put their left foot in front of the right and then carry on as before, it's called walking.
 
Ironically the figures were unearthed by Labour's Lord George Foulkes who himself had claimed, according to the SNP £27,576 for his taxpayer funded trips to and from London, over £15,000 of which went on flights since his election to the Scottish Parliament in May 2007.


It is great to see Labour and the SNP are as hypocritical as each other.  STV have the full story and figures.