SNP led coalition to run the Scottish Borders is attacked by local Tory MSP. WHILE many Borderers and those further afield WELCOME the formation of a new administration at Scottish Borders Council which will now be run via a coalition between the Scottish National Party (SNP), the Scottish Liberal Democrats & Independent Councillors, John Lamont, the Scottish Conservative MSP for Roxburgh & Berwickshire has attacked the coalition deal, alleging the new SNP dominated administration will use their position in the Borders as “a mouthpiece for separation from the UK”. Mr Lamont also blasted the LibDems, Independents & the now dissolved “Borders Party” for “propping up the SNP.”
John Lamont MSP (Scottish Conservative, Roxburgh & Berwickshire) Responding to the announcement of the new administration at Scottish Borders Council, local MSP for the area, John Lamont said in a Press Release issued yesterday : “I’d like to firstly pay tribute to the work achieved by the previous Scottish Conservative led Council administration. Under our councillors’ steady hand we saw finances kept in check, three new high schools built and a fivefold increase in recycling rates. There can be no doubting that this new administration has big shoes to fill.
However, Mr Lamont quickly moved to attack the deal giving power to the SNP, and accused the Conservatives former LibDem coalition partners for giving the Nationalists a platform to break up the union.
Mr Lamont continued : “It is important that they do not undo the great work done by their predecessors, and that they do not use the Council as a mouthpiece for separation from the UK. By falling in behind the SNP, the Lib Dems, Independents and Borders Party have given the Nationalists a platform to promote their agenda to tear the United Kingdom apart.
“The people of the Borders will not accept this, and I am sure a lot of those who voted for the Lib Dems and the Borders Party will be dismayed by the shoddy deal they have struck with the SNP. I know that many supporters of the Borders Party find it incredible that their councillors have disbanded themselves, joined the Independent Group under a new leader and then jumped into bed with the SNP, all within one week!
“The SNP’s sole political aim is to separate us from the rest of the UK. It would be naïve to think that the SNP will not now use the Council as a way to promote their plans to break up Britain.”
John Lamont MSP added: “The upcoming referendum is the biggest decision Scotland has had to make in 300 years. I am determined to keep Scotland in the UK, and like many voters, I will be keeping a close eye on this SNP led administration to make sure that they do not use the Scottish Borders Council to promote their separatist agenda.”
No reaction to Mr Lamont’s accusations has been issued by any of the other parties in the new coalition at Scottish Borders Council, however an openness campaigner in the Borders welcomed the change at Scottish Borders Council, voicing hope the new nationalist led administration would “clean up the endemic corruption at Scottish Borders Council and make sure citizens of the Borders were treated with a bit more respect from Council staff & officials who appear to pursue personal vendettas against members of the public.”
Commenting on the change of administration, an insider agreed it was time for change at SBC and said he hoped there would now be investigations launched by the new administration into the Council’s poor handling of its finances, which include millions of pounds of losses in now bankrupt Icelandic Banks.
He also called for a full inquiry and investigation into recent claims in local newspapers that the current leader of the Council, David Parker, authorised Press Releases containing false information regarding the controversial departure of SBC Chief Executive David Hume and speculation over how much of a taxpayer funded payoff Mr Hume received. The murky incident of Mr Hume’s departure was reported HERE and more recently HERE
SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL : THE TORY LIBDEM YEARS LAID BARE
Since 2002, a multitude of scandals have hit Scottish Borders Council, from poor financial management to massive multi million pound losses in bankrupt Icelandic Banks, allegations of bullying, massive debts reported to be in the hundreds of millions of pounds, individuals councillors charged with criminal offences while other councillors pursued personal vendettas against members of the public, and more recently, scandals involving the sacking of it’s very own Chief Executive, David Hume, all of which can be found HERE
Scottish Borders Council hit the headlines with revelations of huge salaries, expenses & more, here : Reasons your Scottish Borders Council tax is so high : 15 Councillors soak up £1/2 million, Officials & Chief Exec on £100K plus & golden pensions & MONEY TO BURN : Millions lost in Icelandic banks yet 34 Scottish Borders Councillors soak up another million in salaries & expenses claims
More on the Icelandic Bank-SBC scandal can be read here : “Akin to Money Laundering” : Tory-LibDem Scottish Borders Council ‘played Russian Roulette’ with taxpayers £172 million in bankrupt Icelandic Banks
Scottish Law Reporter also reported on the calls for a full investigation of Scottish Borders Council during November 2010 where it was revealed by the former Scotsman journalist Mr Chisholm who carried out his own investigation of SBC’s Icelandic finance deals, that Audit Scotland had been asked to investigate claims Scottish Borders Council acted negligently & recklessly in investing a staggering £10 million pounds of taxpayers money in the now collapsed Icelandic banks. The Council, which is now cutting posts & public services across the Borders is expected to lose more than £3 million pounds on its investment and that the final payment (if indeed any payments are made) of its expected return is not due until October, 2018.
4 comments:
He sounds bitter anyway good riddance to the tories I hope they will never be in charge again they have ruined the region to line their own pockets
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
If the Libdems are wondering why they lost votes they just need to read this http://michaelgrieve.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/michael-moore-the-liberal-with-a-small-l/
I'll be voting SNP at the next General Election and urge all reading this to do so.A vote for anyone else in the Borders is a vote for Tory oppression.
Lamont is full of it - the Borders is just the same as it was in 1912 courtesy of the Torags!Not long to independence now and cant come quick enough for me!
Clearly Mr. Lamont has had a severe attack of 'sour grapes'. Thank goodness he and his party have at long last had their snouts removed from the trough.
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