The double life of a British politician

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Douglas Ross was formerly a footie referee... but he's still sneaking off to work at matches

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Mr Ross at work in the Scottish Parliament during First Ministers' Questions - he is also an MSP

Douglas Ross will skip the debate and vote in the House of Commons to be a linesman at a Champions League Game abroad

A TORY MP will skip a key vote in the House of Commons tonight to run the line at Barcelona football match.

Douglas Ross, who was a footie referee before he became an MP in Scotland back in June, will swap Westminster for Camp Nou later this evening.

The game between Olympiacos and Barcelona kicks off at 7.45pm - 45 minutes after an expected vote on Universal Credit.

But Mr Ross has snubbed the vote to work as a linesman instead of turning up to key political duties before too.

Last year the then-MEP missed a parliamentary committee to help out in a Champions League game in Portugal.

The MP for Moray kicked out SNP big-hitter Angus Robertson in June.

He has declared earnings of more than £2,700 for his work, on top of his MP salary of £74,000.

Shadow Scotland Office minister Paul Sweeney said: "It shows a perverse sense of priorities that Douglas Ross is off working a second job in Barcelona while Parliament debates the huge damage that universal credit is causing in our society.

He added: "This sorry episode will leave Mr Ross's constituents in no doubt as to where his priorities lie and it's not playing the game for them.