£1m plus – cost of sacking shamed MSPs

THE cost of sacking disgraced MSPs could be “in excess of £1million”, a Holyrood committee has been told.

- By Craig Meighan

MSPs heard that a successful recall that led to a full regional poll could result in an “extreme” cost to Scottish taxpayers.

Malcolm Burr, convener of the Electoral Management Board for Scotland, gave evidence to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee as it looked at ideas where shamed MSPs are sacked by the public.

Scottish Conservative MSP Graham Simpson has proposed the Scottish Parliament (Recall and Removal of Members) Bill, which would provide a route for constituents to recall MSPs.