A FORMER MSP who walked away with a £30,000 pay-off after just 70 days of service has returned to the parliamentary pay-roll.

Lesley Brennan became a Labour list MSP for the North East Scotland electoral region last year, following a colleague’s retirement.

But she failed to win a seat in May's elections, meaning she only served as an MSP for ten weeks.

Despite this, she was still entitled to a “resettlement grant” amounting to half her yearly salary.

Now she has been announced as Scottish Labour’s new “chief of staff” – effectively leader Richard Leonard’s most senior staffer.

Party sources suggested she could be earning up to £60,000 in the role, which is paid for by taxpayers.

A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: “Scottish taxpayers are finding Lesley Brennan on their payroll for the third time in quick succession.

“It’s a significant burden in exchange for an out-of-date, extreme Left-wing agenda.”

Ms Brennan is a leading figure in the pro-Corbyn Campaign For Socialism pressure group, as well as a member of Unite the union.

A Labour source said politicians returning as staff was far from unheard of, pointing to figures such as the SNP’s Stewart Maxwell.

Mr Maxwell was an MSP for 13 years – as well as being Minister for Communities and Sport from 2007 to 2009 – but now works as a special advisor for the party.

Scottish Labour said it does not comment on stories regarding staff.