Labour Councillor Jonathan Findlay, does your SPT appointment mean you get three sets of 'wages' via the taxpayer?

Dear All

Time for a song;

One Labour Councillor jumped right over another Labour Councillor’s back.

And another Labour Councillor jumped right over that other Labour Councillor’s back,

A third Labour Councillor jumped right over two other Labour Councillor’s backs,And a Labour Councillor jumped right over all the other Labour Councillor’s officers' backs.They were only playing Labour,They were only playing Labour,They were only playing Labour,

When another Labour Councillor jumped right over another Labour Councillor.

It is an adaptation of a Bruce Rowland composition but it rather highlights the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) under the control of the Labour Party.

The SPT is the Labour Party cash cow and travel agent in the West of Scotland.

Notably for funding Labour Councillors to attend Rangers Football matches.

Now as two Labour Councillors step down, they are replaced by two Labour Councillors.

So far three senior Labour Party figures have resigned because the issue of how the SPT operated.

The three resignations came after newspaper reports stated documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed a handful of top officials, including the Labour Chairman Alistair Watson, had claimed £117,573 in the three years between 2006 and 2009.

Then there was the meeting arranged to coincidence with Glasgow Rangers UEFA cup match in Manchester.

Labour Councillor Jonathan Findlay also attend this Rangers away match on a free ticket from Castlebrae Drainage, he is now chairman.

Findlay said;

“There is no hiding the fact that the last few weeks have been immensely difficult for SPT.”

So, will Findlay now receive three sets of money via the taxpayer, Glasgow Labour Councillor, employee of East Dunbartonshire Council and as Chair of the SPT?

This is on top of any free gifts that come his way via public office.

Findlay added;

“As chair, I am determined to refocus SPT on its core business - delivering for passengers across the west of Scotland.”

So, what was the previous focus?

Was it how milk the SPT as effectively as possible?

In trying to minimise what some many regard as corruption, Findlay is trying to paint a review by the external auditors KPMG as the ‘burning bush’.

The KPMG will be a whitewash, since the external auditors didn’t stop them before they are tainted.

Why is there not another external auditor appointed?

Why pick someone with a vested interest?

Is it to get the ‘right’ result?

The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is a busted flush, it should be destroyed and Transport Scotland should take over their responsibilities.

So the new chairman is a Labour Party member and the new vice-chairman is a Labour Party chairman.

Is that the 'change' agenda?

The Scottish Government should act, not wait, and not to allow them time to ‘reform’ but kill it stone dead.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University