Monica Lennon, who is currently standing for the leadership of the Scottish Labour Party, lost her constituency seat in the May election. Nevertheless, she remains a member of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) via the regional list.
In a statement, Lennon announced that she intends to donate the financial severance payment she is entitled to upon her temporary departure from parliament. She specified that the funds should go to organisations working on women’s health and tackling alcohol misuse.
Lennon described the move as an example of how resources linked to public office can be directed toward societal challenges outside the formal legislative process. She hopes her decision will encourage other politicians to consider similar charitable uses of such payments.
The exact amount of the exit payment has not been disclosed publicly. Lennon assured that the entire sum will be transferred directly to the named charities and will not be used for any personal benefit.