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Trump council on knife-edge after trio resign

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Published Date: 27 January 2009
By Frank Urquhart
THE Liberal Democrat group on Aberdeenshire Council yesterday vowed to cling on to power in a pact with the Conservatives, despite the resignation of three high-profile councillors.
The ruling Lib Dem and Conservative administration has been left depending on the casting vote of the provost, Bill Howatson, following the decision of three members to quit the group in the row over Donald Trump's plans for a £1 billion golf resor
t at the Menie estate.

The three councillors, Paul Johnston, Sam Coull and Martin Ford, resigned from the Liberal Democrat group on Friday, joining Debra Storr, who had already quit the party group in November last year.

Their resignations have left the balance of power in the council on a knife-edge, with both the administration and the opposition groups having 34 councillors.

The administration comprises 20 Liberal Democrats and 14 Conservatives, while there are now 13 Independent councillors, including the four Lib Dem rebels, and 21 SNP members.

Councillor Ford was previously sacked as convener of the infrastructure committee after using his casting vote to oppose the Trump plans.

He and councillors Johnston and Coull quit the Lib Dem group after the council refused to record the fact that Mr Johnston had been cleared by the Standards Commission. That episode centred on claims he breached the code of conduct by alleging Mr Trump was offered a £5 million council "sweetener".



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  • Last Updated: 26 January 2009 9:55 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Donald Trump
 
1

Blue Tooner,

Aberdeenshire 27/01/2009 00:15:46
Lib Dem Rebels? What ever next! All the best to anyone in politics with the bottle to stand up for their true beliefs.
2

Wardog™,

27/01/2009 00:16:31
"....The administration comprises 20 Liberal Democrats and 14 Conservatives, while there are now 13 Independent councillors, including the four Lib Dem rebels, and 21 SNP members....."


The Lib Dems are in freefall in the North East
3

SNP hypocrisy,

27/01/2009 00:37:49
The SNP's handling of Trumpgate was less than satisfactory. Matrtin Ford was right to vote as he did and deserves to be properly vindicated. If it is true about a £5 million council "sweetener" being offered to Trump, this story takes yet another disgusting twist. I seriously hope the voters in that area take note of the actions of the SNP and vote them out at the next election.
4

SNP hypocrisy,

27/01/2009 00:39:57
1. Very true! Worth noting that none of the SNP councillors had the balls to oppose the will of their party over the Trump issue.
5

Charles Linskaill,

Edinburgh 27/01/2009 01:24:11


"That fought and died for
Yer wee bit hill and glen
And stood against him
Proud Edward's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again"

6

Dark Lochnagar,

Symington 27/01/2009 01:48:22
If they had voted against, Scotland would have been a laughing stock all over the world, particularly since the "credit crunch" has come to prominence.
7

Dragonhead,

Dalian,China 27/01/2009 02:44:49
Scots are not normally looked upon as stupid.Drowning and they would refuse a life-line thrown to them. Brave? No,absolute lunacy. When the people of the area return to painting themselves blue and foraging in the fields and forests again, perhaps the penny will drop.The present inhabitants are not thick, they will have to try much harder to be classified so highly!
The world is laughing at you, and no wonder.
8

Scotindy,

Los Angeles 27/01/2009 02:57:22
A famous American once said; We are all born ignorant, but some have to work hard at being STUPID. Now was he referring to the Lieb Dems, they have been too close to the LIEBOR SLEEZE party for too long.
9

Scozzy,

Australia 27/01/2009 04:44:35
#6 Scotland IS a laughing stock throughout the world for approving an environmentally destructive and architurally abject project purely on the basis of Trump's wealth.
10

overton,

aberdeen 27/01/2009 06:25:09
Debra, Martin, Paul and Sam Coull (who he?) have now joined Nicol Stephen in oblivion.
11

W U Merchant,

Aberdeen 27/01/2009 07:08:33
No doubt the SNP will come to the administration's aid.
12

SNP hypocrisy,

27/01/2009 09:19:18
11. Have you been living in a cave for the past year?

The SNP are mostly to blame for Trumpgate. It was the SNP which held SECRET meetings with Trump's team, it was SNP ministers who appeared to act less than ministerial, and it was Alex Salmond who seemed to claim that at will he could simply change to whatever capacity suited him when he met Trump's team, from First Minister to MP, whatever suited him, despite the obvious flaunting of protocol and eye-brows being raised across Scotland. It was the SNP who were widely reported for bullying that council into doing as Trump wanted.

In short the last thing that administration wants is any help from the SNP, since the SNP have been less than democratic throughout the whole affair.
13

SNP hypocrisy,

27/01/2009 09:25:59
It will be interesting watching how the voters react to the SNP when they get the chance again to vote in that council. I predict something close to an SNP wipeout. Local people should be angry at how the SNP have carried on.
14

Doh,

27/01/2009 09:48:19
#2 Wardog

If theLibDems are in freefall because they are following their individual conscience does that mean the SNP are in the asecendent because of they have no scruples.

BTW what about the Elgin bypass - have any SNP members resigned over th SNP u-turn over that yet. Probably not.

Trump's white elephant will be a disaster for the NE. Down here in Lothians we already have Archerfield going to the dogs and in the west Loch Lomond is in trouble. Makes you think, or does it.

15

Stan Butler,

27/01/2009 09:49:13

'Councillor Ford was previously sacked as convener of the infrastructure committee after using his casting vote to oppose the Trump plans.'


Would it not be more accurate to say he voted in favour of the status quo, which conventionally is how a casting vote should be used?
16

Embra Don,

27/01/2009 09:53:38
#4 SNP hypocrisy,
How about the will of the people who are massively in favour of the developmen?
17

Embra Don,

27/01/2009 09:58:22
#9 Scozzy,
The environmental issue has been blown out of all proportion. e.g. the entire coast is lined with huge concrete block placed in WW 2 as anti tank measures, there is a toxic waste dump in the dune system a few miles to the south and an exiting golf course bordering the "sensitive" dunes at Newburgh.
18

overton,

aberdeen 27/01/2009 10:13:33
#15:
You ask the question:

'Would it not be more accurate to say he voted in favour of the status quo, which conventionally is how a casting vote should be used?'

The answer is no, because the 'status quo' was that the development had already been approved by the local Formartine Committee.

The most appropriate course of action would have been for the councillor to abstain thereby referring the final approval to a full council meeting.
19

Doh,

27/01/2009 10:27:53
#4 and #16

Atcually several SNP councillors also voted against the development.

Then they were sat on or changed their minds.
Fair enough.

But these pillars of SNP probity then covered themselves in glory by voting to sack Martin Ford - for having the temerity to vote the same way that had at they had.

They must feel very proud of themselves.
20

The Tin Man,

27/01/2009 11:14:57
"Alex Salmond was embroiled in an extraordinary diplomatic row yesterday with Kofi Annan, the former United Nations Secretary-General, over claims by the First Minister that Mr Annan will visit Scotland as part of the year of Homecoming to give a lecture on Robert Burns.

The Times was told by Mr Annan's representatives in Britain that he has not made such a promise"
21

The Tin Man,

27/01/2009 11:15:42
Liar at the helm?
22

Embra Don,

27/01/2009 13:13:09
#23 The Tin Man,

Relevant to the thread or just the usual boring anti SNP spin? Gie us a break.
23

Liberal for life,

Dunblane 27/01/2009 13:51:57
#1 - I recall when one Aik Salmond, now first minister of Scotland was turfed out of the SNP along with one now easily forgotten man Jim Sillars.

Question is will we see a similarity here with "a salmon like leap back into the party pool" or something more like "the sillar that so easily disappears from yer pocket and into political oblivion"?

Its a bit like the recession really - we didn't expect this to happen, but now and again something comes up and hits you smack in the face, then nobody is prepared to own up to who actually "sold the first toxic debt" that the rest of us have to now pick up and try and sort out with lots of pain in the process.

At least we still have Vince Cable talking sense on a far more serious issue confronting us all right now.
24

SNP hypocrisy,

27/01/2009 14:47:18
Tin Man, indeed the SNP have proved themselves serial liars yet again. I find it amusing that some of the Natz on here now view this as some kind of worldwide conspiracy against them. So let's get this straight Kofi Annan, and the whole of the United Nations are all out to get them, and feel threatened by Alex Salmond.... Their all to get me.... Waaaaah!
25

SNP hypocrisy,

27/01/2009 14:49:26
"VOTING SNP person... Nonsense... Nonsense", Your language is disgusting as usual. I've flagged your posting as unsuitable. Have a nice day.
26

Alasdair mac Alasdair Mór Mac an Righ,,

27/01/2009 16:10:34
In Scotland we have plenty of scenery and nature all over the highlands and north east.

What we lack is inward investment and development.

All the tourists and environ-Mentalist visitors might disagree but we have to feed our families and we must develop what we can in business.

The SNP are the only party to ever pay any attention to the Highlands and North East.

I wonder if the lack of interest of unionist parties has been our unwillingness to stuff envelopes with cash?

Maybe we should be trying to recruit Lords for consultancy fee's.
27

,

27/01/2009 21:07:54
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
28

Daveunderwater,

28/01/2009 11:29:06
#28

I have also flagged your spelling of Nats using z to infer SNP are aligned with neo natzism

Or was it a typo?


29

Daveunderwater,

28/01/2009 11:31:27
#29

I can't think why not, large swathes of the highlands are owned by English aristocracy

Something to do with the highland clearances a few years back
30

Daveunderwater,

28/01/2009 11:34:47
The contemporary landscape of Scotland – its forestry, woods, moors, crops and grasslands owes much to the current and historical decisions and finances of private landowners.

However, concern has been expressed, in the past century especially, at how few were involved in land management decisions. In 1837, for example, half of Scotland was owned by 118 landowners and the situation today still reflects almost a millennium of relatively little change in the pattern of ownership in Scotland.
31

mobocaster,

Aberdeen 28/01/2009 12:37:20
#29

This scheme is not "inward investment" in fact it is not much by way of any sort of investment at all. Trump's economic evidence to the PLI (reported in this topic) made that quite clear.

Also remember that every economic measure rates our wild land as a much greater earner than any form of golf.

So why do you want to condemn our children to even more of the same remote & exploitative land ownership & management that has already done so much damage to parts of the country by making it little more than a rich man's playground?

As for the council, what a waste of space - if they cannot back the people they put in place to do a job, they should quit & not prolong this farce any longer.
32

mobocaster,

Aberdeen 28/01/2009 15:29:39
Just a reminder that Trumpton is up for the Pock Mark award (worst planning decision). Voting closes on Thursday.

http://www.thecarbuncles.co.uk/

Although he does have some very stiff competition this time.

 

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