It’s not an easy life, being an MSP. On one side of the corridor of power, there are decisions to be made, policies to be implemented and courses to be set.
That’s on top of the daily rounds of meeting and greeting, hand-shaking, ribbon-cutting and baby-kissing, if the occasion calls for it.
There’s also the occasional bout of chuntering in the chamber if there’s a debate you’re involved in, possibly a speech on top of that, and committees to attend. Throw in an election campaign, and it’s a wonder they have time to occupy the Scottish Parliament’s ‘think pods’ – the little cubby holes designed for Scotland’s elected representatives to have a ponder in.
If they are not in the SNP, and therefore not part of the government, day to day life is pretty much the same, except they get to oppose whatever’s been proposed instead of tell people what to do.
It’s a wonder, then, that anyone would want to do this twice at the same time. Yet Stephen Flynn has found himself dragged over the coals this week for his plan to combine his job as an MP with a stint as an MSP at the next Holyrood election.
Mr Flynn revealed last week that he intends to run in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election for a seat currently filled by SNP MSP Audrey Nicoll.
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Unspun | Stephen Flynn’s bid for Holyrood could face party pushback
He sparked a backlash from within his party when he said he will continue being an MP, although he also vowed not to take two salaries.
Notwithstanding a bit of procedural jiggery-pockery which prevented Joanna Cherry from following a similar course when she wanted to switch Houses, Mr Flynn has defended himself against all comers – insisting double-jobbing is well within his capabilities.
He also said the situation was “not particularly pleasant”, and shut down suggestions his attempted move to Holyrood is a bid to manoeuvre himself into position to be the next party leader.
But is double-jobbing all that unusual? Stephen Flynn would be following in fairly rarefied company. Not only did current First Minister John Swinney hold seats as an MP and MSP at the same time, so did former First Minister Alex Salmond.
The practice isn’t confined to Mr Flynn’s party. Douglas Ross, then leader of the Scottish Conservatives, faced no end of flack for his double-jobbing (or was that triple, given his leadership status?).
But Labour have had their own dual mandate MSPs too. Labour’s Margaret Curran and Cathy Jamieson held seats in both Holyrood and Westminster back in 2011, and this session of Parliament there is one, Labour’s Katy Clark – Baroness Clark of Kilwinning – who could be in the House of Lords if she hadn’t taken a leave of absence, and 18 councillors of various parties.
For his own part, John Swinney has described Flynn as a “star” with “immense talent” amid concerns over the SNP Westminster leader’s plans to run for Holyrood.
The First Minister said the wannabe-MSP has a “huge contribution to make” to the party.
Speaking to journalists after First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, the First Minister said of Mr Flynn: “I think he’s one of our great staffers.
“I think Stephen has a huge contribution to make to the activity and agenda of the SNP – he is a superb contributor.”
