Govan by-election: Glasgow SNP want an independence study to be kept hidden from the public so people don’t know facts before they vote in Glasgow council by-election, Nicola Sturgeon’s part time caretaker leader Graeme Hendry wants to ‘gag’ Council

Dear All

In politics, you have to expect people to play politics.

Glasgow City Council has attracted the wrath of part time SNP leader Graeme Hendry who is demanding that the Council delays publication of a "highly politically contentious" report on how the council will be affected by independence.

So, what is the George Laird view?

I say publish and be damned, no matter what Nicola Sturgeon’s proxy says, I mean he is only part time, a caretaker leader anyway and his opinion is meaningless, let's be frank who cares!

At present there is a local by-election prompted by the death of the SNP's former leader on the council, Allison Hunter.

Ms. Hunter’s claim to fame was to lose the best chance that the Scottish National Party ever had to win the City of Glasgow from Labour.

2012, was regarded by many as an SNP cronies campaign where Scotland unpopular Deputy First Minster Nicola Sturgeon’s cronies got key candidacies in the City.

In Govan, the SNP put up three candidates, what they had in common was that they were all outsiders.

Only one was elected, Ms. Hunter, for the record, she never got my vote as an SNP member...... ever!  

The report on the financial ramifications of a Yes vote in next year's poll should be welcomed, substance is sorely missing on the SNP side and it is time that they learned to deal in facts.

The SNP wants Council chief executive George Black to delay publishing the report, citing a potential breach of the Local Government Act 1986.

Under the Act, authorities are banned from releasing any publicity on controversial issues between the notice of an election and polling day.

However, I would say in this case given that it isn’t specific to the Govan Ward; the report should be made public.

It seems that the SNP are running scared, already they have poured many activists in Govan to try and trick people into voting for them in the wake of the Bill Walker scandal.

Bill Walker was a serial SNP wife beater who was close to SNP Deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon.

Gordon ‘free dinners’ Matheson claims that as Scottish independence could have a significant impact on the economic environment "it behoves that council examines how independence would affect its ability to provide services, should Scotland secede from the United Kingdom".

Gordon ‘free dinners’ Matheson, the boy is a card!

Already the squealing of the SNP has failed to move Mr Black as he denied the report will be political.

Graeme Hendry, in tennis terms has tried to rule the ‘ball was out’, and Mr. Black appears to be saying it is in!

Well looks in to me.

His take was to remark that it is a "professional assessment [by officers] of the financial impact on the council in the event of Scotland becoming independent".

And he doesn’t consider that a further delay is required as a result of the Govan By-Election.

Get out there, and let the SNP defend their poor ill judged and mismanaged Yes campaign.

Graeme Hendry, the part time SNP caretaker leader in Glasgow said he was "significantly concerned" about the potential contentious nature of the report and the impact it could have on voters.

Really, he is "significantly concerned", how did he ever find the time away from his main job?

In a letter he showed his hurt feelings and said:

"If, as seems possible, the plans to launch the first council report on the financial implications of independence are to be published prior to the by-election, then I suggest that this could be regarded as being highly politically contentious. We should all ensure that the election period is not unduly affected by council announcements and publications which could influence the minds of voters in Govan. Given this, I am asking that you will confirm this piece of work and other work which may be particularly politically contentious are not published by the council prior to the by-election."

He added:

"For months the council has refused to answer the most basic questions on how this report will be completed, so to now decide to publish it during a by-election period is extremely ill-judged and may well break their own rules."

This brings a tear to my glass eye, if I ever find it again in a drawer!

Mr Matheson between snacks, said:

"The SNP is scared of Glaswegians thinking about the reality of separation. A pro-independence party that doesn't want to talk about its only policy has lost all confidence in its case. That is why it is more interested in a by-election than the future of Glasgow's economy and the well-being of its people."

The big scandal at the moment remains Bill Walker, SNP wife beater, elected to serve the people of Dunfermline, the SNP have selected someone called Helen Walker to fight the Govan seat. As someone who knows the SNP, I have never heard of her, she is the paper candidate, someone to try and hook the youth vote and the women’s vote.

Govan needs a strong local voice to fight for the people and engage with the people, they need someone who has experience, is local and can understand their problems. They need someone who will work constructively with the Council and also have the ability to hold the Council to account.

Within a short time of Graeme Hendry saying the SNP would hold Gordon Matheson and Labour to account, they broke that promise.

Govan needs a full time elected independent Councillor.

I am pretty sure that I am worth any three of Nicola Sturgeon’s part time 90 minute Nationalist cronies sitting at the City Chambers at present.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University