CROSSGATES and Hill of Beath MP, Douglas Chapman has called on Lesley Laird to quit her Fife Council role after being the only candidate for the job as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland.

Ms Laird has been MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath for almost a year and has remained as a councillor during that 12 month period.

This week it was revealed that she is the only candidate for the depute leader role.

Mr Chapman said: “With Labour’s Deputy Leadership contest attracting Lesley Laird as the only applicant, that now means she is an MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and is still taking up a councillor’s place on Fife Council".

He added: “I know through speaking to my SNP colleagues on the Council, she is seldom seen there and I am told she recently turned up at a council meeting to make sure she wasn’t forced to resign due to the council rule about councillors attending at least one council meeting in every six month period.

“It’s time for her to hang up her council hat and let someone who is really interested in Inverkeithing, North Queensferry, Hillend and Dalgety Bay to be elected in her place as she cannot possibly be doing the job justice if she has so many other priorities. Someone needs to be elected to properly serve and represent her constituents in that council ward.”

Mr Chapman said that both he and Cardenden and Kinglassie MP Peter Grant gave up their council seats following election to Westminster in May 2015 in order to focus on their Parliamentary roles. Cllr Grant in August 2015 was followed by Cllr Chapman in September 2015 triggering Fife Council by-elections in October and December respectively.