Michelle Thomson opens office nine months after election

EDINBURGH West MP Michelle Thomson has finally opened her constituency office '“ nine months after she was elected.

Michelle Thomson. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Mrs Thomson resigned as the SNP business spokeswoman and now represents the constituency as an independent member.

She claimed it took nine months to open her office because of the problem of finding a “suitable space”.

Her critics claim there numerous empty shop premises in her constituency and claim the politician has become a visible absence in the area.

Thomson’s new campaign office is on St John’s Road, in the Corstorphine area of the city.

A spokeswoman for Mrs Thomson said: “In realistic terms, I don’t think it is that long.

“It takes time to find premises. It takes time to get a change of use. It takes time to fit them out. She’s been very active in surgeries throughout her constituency.”

Last year Thomson’s former lawyer Christopher Hales was struck off by the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal (SSDT) after acting for her in multiple property deals before she was elected. His case has since been referred to the Crown Office and is being investigated by police.

• An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Michelle Thomson was still an SNP MP when she in fact resigned from the party whip in September 2015. We apologise for this error.