THE Scottish MP who missed a vote on Universal Credit to officiate a football game could be set to miss more than a month of parliament to go the World Cup.
Football's biggest tournament returns this summer, beginning on June 14, and Douglas Ross is among the team of Scottish referees being considered.
Before being elected this year, the Moray MP said he would give up his second job as a football official, but controversially chose to run the line during a Champions League match in Barcelona rather than attend a debate on Universal Credit in the House of Commons last week.
And as sources claim Mr Ross could be set to miss almost five weeks to take up his post at the World Cup, the MP has been accused of treating his constituents "with utter contempt".
The SNP's Drew Hendry told the Sunday Post: "The time has arrive for Douglas Ross to chose between properly representing his constituents or continuing as a referee
"It is one thing for parliamentarians to have outside interests – it is quite another for them to so blatantly ignore their parliamentary duties.
"This week saw an important debate on universal credit – an issue that directly affects people in the Highlands. And yet the MP for Moray thought it was more important to run around waving a flag in Barcelona.
"Douglas Ross is a part-timer whose behaviour is inexcusable. He is treating his constituents with utter contempt."
It has been argued that should Mr Ross hang up his flag, those on the Scottish team of officials will not be able to go to the World Cup at all, as replacements cannot be made.
The Sunday Post claims a senior Tory source said: "Plenty of his voters are proud to see a local boy doing well on the world stage and the country should be proud to back Scots – whatever their strip – if they make it to the World Cup."
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