SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 01/09/05
Scottish Socialist Party national convenor Colin Fox MSP today contrasted the situation facing disgraced MSP Mike Watson and the 4 SSP MSP’s suspended for the month of September from the Scottish Parliament.
MSP Watson pled guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to deliberately starting a fire and endangering life at a top Edinburgh hotel in November last year.
Watson will face no sanction from Parliament and stands to gain substantial sums of money including a pension and a ‘winding down allowance’ from the parliament when he steps down as MSP.
The 4 suspended SSP MSP’s have been stripped of pay and allowances totalling 10’s of thousands of pounds for a silent protest in the Parliament on 30th June in which they held up pieces of paper with slogans in protest at the refusal of the First Minister Jack McConnell to uphold a parliament vote on the right of protest at the G8 summit at Gleneagles.
Colin said today;
“Nothing better illustrates the utterly disproportionate nature of the sanctions taken against the 4 suspended SSP MSP’s than the fact that Mike Watson, one of those who voted to crucify us, will face no sanction from Parliament and now stands to walk away with substantial sums of money and a pension from the public purse.
“This man endangered the lives of hotel guests and workers and is set to cash in while 4 MSP’s who held a silent protest are stripped of their wages and allowances for a month, this can’t be right.
“In light of today’s events I would repeat my request to George Reid to now refer the draconian punishment handed out to the 4 suspended MSP’s back to the standards committee
[ends]
