SCOTTISH Labour committed to banning second jobs for MSPs at Holyrood today amid mounting accusations of sleaze within the Tory Party.

Scottish Labour’s business manager Neil Bibby warned SNP ministers that if they fail to show “leadership” by putting a stop to the practice, his party would do so.

Parliamentarians are facing intensified scrutiny following a sleaze row prompted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s botched attempt to protect senior Tory Owen Paterson from suspension over his breach of lobbying rules.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglass Ross has also come under fire for failing to declare outside earnings worth thousands of pounds.

Mr Bibby said: “The recent revelations of Tory sleaze north and south of the border have made the need for action to clamp down on part-time MSPs more urgent than ever.

“With several Tory MSPs raking in hundreds of thousands of pounds, we need to have a serious discussion over the priorities of some of our elected representatives.

“The role of MSPs should be to fully focus on their constituents and the practice of working second jobs should be banned.

“In the absence of leadership from the Scottish government, Labour will bring forward a Bill to change the law.”

The MSP for the West Scotland region said there would have to be some exemptions for members who are “required to continue employment to maintain registration, such as medical professionals.”

However, the move would otherwise “sound the death knell for second jobs as a means to line one’s pockets,” Mr Bibby stressed. 

“It’s high time this gravy train was ended,” he added. “This proposed Bill will ensure that all our MSPs are working full-time for the people of Scotland, not private profit.”