Scottish Tory leader refers himself to watchdog after undeclared earnings revealed

Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives has referred himself to the parliamentary standards watchdog after failing to declare earnings while an MP.

Ross has apologised after The Herald newspaper reported that he had not fully recorded his MSP salary and earnings as a football referee on his parliamentary register of interests.

He described the failing as, “an error on my behalf that shouldn’t have happened, and I apologise for not registering these payments on time.”

The top up salary paid to MSPs who are also MPs is £21,490 annually.

As Ross has only served as an MSP since this May he has failed to declare six months’ worth of earnings, the equivalent of  £10,745.

He also failed to declare £6,728.57 in earnings from 16 football matches between 2020 and 2021.