Defences of Ruth Davidson’s new role just won’t wash

There’s only one small flaw in this family-friendly plan. Rather inconveniently, Davidson still has another full-time job. A “day job”, if you will. As an MSP.

Constituents might not be very pleased that the former Scottish Tory leader, who has insisted she will soldier on as MSP for Edinburgh Central until 2021, is dividing her attention in this way. Especially when she’s going to have one eye on their concerns and the other on spinning for corporate giants – sorry, “helping firms who want to do the right thing to genuinely get there, rather than to just appease millennials by talking the talk,” as the Evening Standard puts it in a typically fawning puff piece. Shouldn’t she be focusing on doing the right thing by the Scottish people, rather than adding to her CV and lining her pockets?

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The Scottish Conservatives assure us this bumper workload is more than manageable, and indeed a doddle compared to juggling MSP duties with those of party leader. Starring in quirky photo shoots and preparing FMQs responses took much more than 16 hours a month, so while it might seem like Davidson is spreading herself too thinly, in fact she’s practically retired.

Of course, MSPs taking second jobs is nothing new, even if many mere mortals believe that constituency duties, committee work and the handshaking and ribbon-cutting duties of that role should be enough to keep anyone busy. But this particular job? If even PR people can’t find a positive way to spin it, that’s surely a bad sign.

The Public Relations and Communications Association, the world’s largest PR professional body, has condemned the appointment in the strongest possible terms, saying it is “simply wrong for lobbying agencies to employ legislators” given the clear potential for conflicts of interest. Its members are prohibited from employing parliamentarians – but Davidson’s new employer Tulchan Communications is not a member. However, some lesser-known bodies have defended the appointment, with Dictators for Democracy issuing a statement saying “we see no conflict between these two roles” and the Poacher-Gamekeeper Alliance hailing “a step forward for integrated working”.

The Tories are keen to point out that the appointment is “well within all parliamentary and industry rules”, so that’s OK then. You’ll remember how keen they were to focus on the rules when it was revealed that Glasgow’s lord provost – an SNP councillor – had racked up an £8000 expenses bill. You could hardly hear yourself think for all the Tories talking about the rules at a time when it might have suited them politically to instead claim that just because something might be well within them, that doesn’t make it right.

Of course, we’ve come to expect that kind of honesty and integrity from the Scottish Conservatives, and it was only cynical people who questioned Davidson’s motives for stepping down as branch leader. Some heartless monsters queried whether she genuinely wanted to free up more family time, instead suspecting she could no longer bear to serve under a Prime Minister she regarded as an absolute rocket.

She has certainly put those suspicions to bed this week, with a ringing endorsement that will surely make it on to campaign leaflets for the forthcoming General Election.

“I wouldn’t fear for myself around Mr Johnson,” she said.

The journalist pressed on, asking if she might be considering a return to a Tory party leadership role. “Lots of people have second acts,” she replied, as if to suggest this current phase is merely the interval. Most folk use that time to stretch their legs, have a quick pee or down a gin and tonic. Davidson is using it to help “reset capitalism”.

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It’s a lofty ambition, but she has never been one to shy away from a challenge. So what might resetting capitalism involve? How might businesses be encouraged to be more socially responsible, rather than simply ticking boxes or jumping on bandwagons to boost their brands?

Davidson points to some adverts for soap. Yes, really. Hailing Dove’s 2014 “campaign for real beauty” featuring women with diverse body types, she asserts that it “will have made an enormous difference to people’s lives”.

Who would have thought it? Forget benefit delays, forget two-child caps, forget massive cuts to vital public services – if you want to make an enormous difference to women’s lives, try flogging them some body wash.

We’ve known for years that there’s little more to Davidson’s skillset than bluster, but if this is the level of insight for which Tulchan Communications are paying £50,000 a year, they’re even more gullible than the folk who voted for her.