Glasgow Labour Councillor massacre as London Labour axes the ‘old guard’ at City Chambers, Frank McAveety may boogie in for council seat!

Dear All

The panic among the Labour Councillors is justified around a dozen Labour stalwarts have been axed with an official from headquarters in London overseeing a massacre.

Dubbed the ‘Deadwood Finder General’, he is have the gift of “being able to sniff out dead wood from 50 paces”.

So, who is said to be in trouble and may have their membership of the Glasgow City Council private members club revoked?

Two Labour Councillors of shame Tommy Morrison and John Flanagan have been told that they are out. They have the right of an appeal but it looks like the end is near, its time to call it a day.

The cull of deadwood is to make way for new blood to contest next year’s local elections at Scotland’s largest local authority.

Said to be returning is Former Glasgow Shettleston MSP, Frank ‘pie man’ McAveety who got cuffed by John Mason in May’s election.

And Bill Butler who lost Anniesland by seven votes to the SNP’s Bill Kidd in a contest so tight everyone was on tender hooks.

The list goes on with Ruth Black and Willie O’Rourke.

Black has been mired in controversy regarding a centre she ran and allegations of supplying Class A drugs.

And of course who could forget Labour Councillor Willie O’Rourke who famously disgraced him by asking if an alleged child rape victim was “asking for it”.

O’Rourke was asking for it and it seems that Labour duly delivered it, the order of the boot.

Others said to be in line for the axe are:

Former City Treasurer and head of Land Services, Ruth Simpson,

Easterhouse veteran Catherine McMaster,

Ellen Hurcombe, a long-standing councillor from Milton,

Patrica Chalmers representing East Centre,

Ex-licensing committee chief John McKenzie,

Gilbert Davidson recently cleared of sexually harassing former Lord Provost Liz Cameron.

It almost could be a scene from a Conan movie, with London Labour savaging a number of Labour Councillors of shame in a few well timed blows of the political axe.

Deputy Lord Provost, Allan Stewart is currently recovering from a massive heart attack but due to his illness he is not being talked about as a runner for next term.

A Labour party source said:

“The SNP are hungry. They’re like Labour in the mid-1990s with a big prize in sight and we need the people who are serious about competing, who are still relevant and haven’t become complacent. Whatever the tensions we need to build Labour again because it’s essentially a battle for the future of the party and we need people who haven’t lost sight of that.”

Another insider said:

“All elected representatives, irrespective of age, gender, ethnic background, need to have a good understanding of how the public perceive elected representatives, and what is expected of them. They should sympathise with that view and conduct themselves accordingly. They should also have a desire to rebuild the reputation that’s tarnished them in recent years.”

Two others who possibly face the axe are Glasgow’s two all singing and dancing Labour Councillors of shame Andy Muir and Euan McLeod who recently appeared as extras in a BBC drama called Lip Service.

They might be dancing in the dark as figures in the east of the city are also claiming the younger councillors face a fight to be re-selected amid complaints of inactivity.

At present there is no news regarding Gordon ‘free dinners’ Matheson, Scotland’s free food munching expert, his register of interests a testimony to happy munching everywhere.

Labour said it could not comment on the selection process while it was ongoing which may mean the cull still has a long way to go.

Hopefully Labour Councillors of shame Andy Muir and Euan McLeod will do a video to Let’s Dance by Lady Gaga in the City Chambers as part of their selection process.

But for some, it will be, ‘oh darling save the last dance for me!’

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University