Here is a copy – below – of recent LibDem Scottish parliamentary election literature which is a classic example of the way politicians actively work to mislead the electorate.
The opening sentence says: ‘The SNP’s flawed plans to close 25 schools would have been a disaster for Argyll and Bute’.
Regardless of other facts detailed below, Councillor Hay now has one big question to ask.
Since these school closure proposals were ‘flawed’ and ‘a disaster for Argyll and Bute’ – both wholly correct statements – why did Councillor Hay herself and every one of her five LibDem fellow councillors vote them through to public consultation – while admitting even then that they were flawed?
The SNP voted against them. If the LibDems had done the same – if even two LibDems had done the same – Argyll and Bute would have been spared the disaster of these flawed proposals.
And it was the current ruling coalition, of which, in this maul, the LibDems are the prop forwards, who persisted in keeping the consultations on these flawed proposals going from 25th November until 5th January 2011, when the game was finally up and they had to withdraw them.
But they ruined the Christmases and Hogmanays of the families of over 500 children in Argyll and Bute while insisting that thee proposals were perfectly sound?
As May’s Scottish election draws nearer, Councillor Hay’s sudden reversal of view on the calibre and consequences of these proposed school closures is as much a political convenience as was her original vote to allow the flawed proposals to proceed.
Ask Counillor Hay that question at every opportunity. Why did she vote ‘flawed’ proposals through and why did she bring this ‘disaster’ upon Argyll? Because she did and they did.
When we received an intended frightener from Councillor Alison Hay’s solicitor on the grounds of factually incorrect statements made by our site readers, this tendency of politicians and of Councillor Hay to distort the facts was a matter we pointed out to him.
Here, on the heels of the point made, comes proof of the habit.
The facts
Yes, the SNP were in the ruling coalition during the development pf the flawed closure proposals.
The then Education Spokesperson, Councillor Isobel Strong is an SNP councillor.
However, documents released under Freedom of information showed conclusively that, for whatever reason (not disclosed) a cabal of senior council officers, including Chief Executive Sally Loudon with Council Leader and Alliance Leader, Dick Walsh, conspired to keep the Education Spokesperson out of the loop in strategy development on the matter. They also did not copy her into key documents circulated amongst themselves and including more junior officers.
The school closure proposals emerging from this self-appointed exclusive group cannot be said in any defensible way to be either Councillor Strong’s proposals nor her party’s.
The SNP recognised the depth of the flaws in the proposals. After failing in their attempts to persuade their partners in power, the Alliance of Independents – whose proposals they actually were, to agree to drop them, they walked out of power in order to challenge them with propriety.
At the day long council meeting on 25th November 2010 when this happened, the LibDems agreed to enter power with the Alliance and with the Tories as makeweights.
It then became the LibDem votes – several known to be changed on the day as a gesture of support for their new Alliance partners in power – that secured approval for these flawed proposals to be sent out to statutory public consultation. The majority was 19-17.
In fact the Southend School outside which half of Councillor Hay is pictured was one of those let down by their councillor on that day – Rory Colville. A LibDem colleague of Councillor Hay’s he changed his known voting intentions to approve the proposals, even though he too had described them as flawed.
We never left the council chamber during the sessions on that day. We were there, heard and noted Councillor Hay herself vote FOR the same school closure proposals she here describes as ‘a disaster for Argyll and Bute’.
She admitted the proposals were flawed but, regardless, said: ‘Let’s get on with it’ and voted FOR.
The ‘disaster’ she rightly describes was one she and her colleagues inflicted upon Argyll.
The 19 who voted FOR included all 6 LibDems, both Tories and 11 of the then 14 members of the ragbag Alliance of Independents.
Three members of that group, Councillor George Freeman, Councillor Mary Jean Devon and Councilllor Alex Mcnaughton voted AGAINST the proposals on the grounds of their flaws, along with all of the 9 SNP group, the 3 Argyll First Councillors – Dougie Philand, Donald Kelly and John McAlpine, the non-aligned Councillor James Robb and the Independent Councillor Gordon Chalmers.
The half truths on this election literature damage the currency of politics. They are almost unhinged but are written to deceive and mislead. In attempting to do so they are contemptuous of the electorate – who do know better.
This is cheap, shoddy, dishonest and astonishingly old fashioned politics.
We hope it proves an aberration, that Councillor Hay cleans up her act and that none of her fellow candidates takes the same low road. Argyll’s electors are worth far more than this.
Pingback: Half truths for half a candidate – For Argyll | Southend on Sea Herald
Unbelievable what a load of tripe, was there not recently a by election forced because an MP had published a pamphlet with”half truths” in it about an opposition candidate.
There has to be something that we the electorate can do surely ? (apart for not voting for her)
Anyone got any ideas ?
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this type of gross distortion has now been brought into local government politics by the libdems in power. it has sucked in tories, the daft independents and management. as followers of forargyll will know. a compact of self interest and mutual protection.
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I am reading Alan Sugar’s autobiography: “What you see is what you get”
I have just reached the chapter entitled: “I don’t like liars,bullshitters, cheats and schmoozers”.
I wonder if Lord Sugar knows any Liberal democrats?
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Poor show Alison – I watched her vote on the 25th and she was visibly uncomfortable with the way she chose to vote but she has shown her only real Alliance is with power and her party and has little regard for the people in her community – does she really think we button up the back!
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When I first saw this leaflet my first inclination was to complain about the blatant tone of the entire publication but reflection leads me to conclude that this is likely to be a classic case of the candidate pulling the trigger before the gun had left the vertical -a sharp shot in the foot.I urge voters to read the offending literature.
I suspect that although Ms Hay ‘s name is all over this that the darker hand of George Lyon is lurking somewhere rather close.
As Frank Drummond points out there was recently a by election forced after a Labour MP was elected after using literature that was inaccurate and libellous. Ironically the complainant in that instance was a member of the Liberal Democrats ; dear oh dear!!
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No honesty, No integrity, No credibility, No chance in May !
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“How can anyone trust the SNP again” says a Liberal Democrats???
This from the party that said they would not support early cuts but have now done so:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8565000/8565981.stm
Warned about a Tory VAT increase but have now voted for one:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/blog/2010/jun/22/nick-clegg-vat-poster
Saying they would stop Mountain Rescue Teams paying VAT but have failed to ensure such legislation
http://forargyll.com/2010/12/libdems-challenged-on-vat-charges-for-mountain-rescue-teams/
Said they would stop soaring fuel duty but have come forward with no plans, increased VAT on fuel and failed to move on a rural areas discount (and even if they do it will not include Argyll):
http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2010/03/libdems-all-over-place-on-fuel-tax.html
And then there was their pledge to vote against tuition fees…
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I see the picture is now working. Hopefully I can get a hold of the leaflet soon.
A Lib Dem questioning whether another party can be trusted ever again. I think if I heard Mussolini questioning the virtues of right wing politics I would smirk less than I did when I saw the headline.
A party that sold outs its electorate at Westminster and has done the same in A&B. A party that at a local level changed its mind on school closures in return for pieces of silver and then when forced to abandon the process quickly changed their shoes again and agreed with what he have been telling them from the start.
At lease Alison Hay’s lawyer won’t make money out of this story as nothing that has been said is factually incorrect.
The Lib Dems are the prostitutes of British politics – they whore themselves around (politically speaking your honour) chopping and changing policies to suit the current mood. I am not so blinkered as to deny that all parties are somewhat guilty of this but none are on a par with the Lib Dems.
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I feel a glint of sorrow for Alison Hay, I know she is a decent person and it must be difficult for her to pedal such utter nonsense. You only have to look into her eyes in that picture above to see the depth of her despair.
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The sooner we have local councillors in Argyll & Bute who vote for the good of the neighbourhood and not on Party Political lines the better!
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From the Libdem website, tsk tsk I’m no nationalist but at least the SNP person realised that the proposals were flawed (after being excluded ?????)
25 November 2010
Following today’s crucial meeting of Argyll & Bute Council to debate the issue of the rural schools consultation programme compiled by the SNP, Alison Hay PPC for Argyll & Bute said: “During today’s debate I supported the issuing of the consultation documents for the 25 schools in Argyll and Bute identified in the list. I did so only after assurances that no decisions had already been taken and that the consultations would be open, fair and transparent and would be a genuine dialogue with parents and communities.
“I shall continue to support the various communities in their own submissions to the council, and where good alternatives or suggestions are forthcoming I will ensure that these are supported”.
Immediately, prior to today’s meeting the SNP grouping on the Council opted out of the ruling coalition to come out against their own proposals.
Alison Hay continued:
“I find it disgusting that these proposals, put forward by the SNP Spokesperson for Education who for the past three and a half years has presided over the Education service in Argyll and Bute and who has been pivotal in drawing up these documents issued today, has now changed her mind. It is both hypocritical and duplicitous”.
“Does this have anything to do with the fact that Mike Russell, SNP Minister for Education is standing for election in Argyll and Bute. How can anyone trust the SNP when, faced with difficult decisions, they turn and run.”
No they are just realists and decided that these proposals wouldn’t hold water
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Neither Liberal nor Democrat they have sold themselves and the soul of the party for a few pieces of gold.
George White is now the only true Liberal Candidate standing in Argyll, not tainted by the disreputable toxic tactics of the so called Lib-Dems.
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I don’t think Cllr Hay has ever been to Southend Primary. Has the photo been photo shopped?
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For Southend Mum: We thought she rode shotgun for Councillor Ellen Morton when she visited as Education Spokesperson at some time after 25th November?
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John Semple,
You are a more forgiving man than I – if she is in despair for having to pedal nonsense then I suggest the best course of action is for her to get on a bike and pedal out of the Lib Dem party. If she allows her name and image to be put to something she doesn’t agree with then she is not fit to represent A&B and if she does agree with the text in the leaflet then she isn’t fit to represent A&B.
Either way…
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Treblet
That is exactly what you have had for the last fifty years. Only once in the last two deacdes have political councillors been in charge.
It was independent councillors who visited this latest nonsense on A&B.
Where have you been?
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@ John Semple: Actually she looks like Anne Darwin in this.
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There was a meeting with Councillor Colville on the 30th November. Councillor Hay and Councillor Morton were meant to attend but they were unable to due to the weather.
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Dave McEwan Hill. I came to live in Argyll & Bute in 2005. Prior to that I lived in Dundee from when I was born in 1953 until 2005. In Dundee the residents had to put up with local councillors voting on party lines even it was not in the best interests of the residents of Dundee. When I retired to Argyll & Bute I thought wrongly as it has turned, that the Independent councillors would vote for the best interests of the residents of Argyll & Bute. Sadly this is not the case. They are just as hopeless as the councillors in Dundee.
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Treblet, please do not tar us all with the same brush. Why do you think I was thrown out of the Alliance of Independents, lost my place on the Executive and was also stripped of my role as the Housing & Communities Spokesperson for Argyll & Bute? Because I put my communities first before toeing the “party” line. A search on ForArgyll will give you all the background.
Councillor George Freeman. Independent
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As for the “half-truths” – some of the other items in the total leaflet ( 4 times as much as that shown) are as damn near lies as anything I have seen from the Labour Party over the last 10 years. But wait till the hustings – then she will have to defend her words – and I can only hope the Argyll Press, as well as yourselves will expose her for what she is!
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Gerry
They are not “damn near”. They are lies. Let the LibDems challenge that statement.
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Wait until the hustings indeed….
…..I don’t think either the Lidbems or the SNP will get an easy ride – both of them have broken promises and will have a hard job defending themselves against charges of opportunism.
The SNP have lost much of their credibility in South Cowal over their failure to deliver on the Dunoon- Gourock ferry; I make no apology for banging on about this – but they won a lot of votes on the strength of their promise to provide the required service, and they’ll lose plenty for failing to do so.
It’s sad really, for from this distance they appear to have done a reasonable job of running the country even as a minority administration. (sad to see, however, that Holyrood seems to be degenerating into the same sort of bearpit as Westminster)
As for the LibDems….poor Alan Reid is in at the deep end and is flailing around learning to swim the hard way. He’s suddenly discovered that power has a price – responsibility – and if you make promises you have to deliver or suffer the consequences.
Hell mend him.
He’s been churning out shallow propaganda and blatant lies for years, and it seems that this policy has pervaded the party machine in Argyll and Bute.
‘The prostitutes of British politics’, says Integrity of the LibDems.
Truly sir, you flatter them.
I would love to be a fly on the wall should there be a hustings meeting in Dunoon.
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For Bill Jardine: Your mention of ‘from this distance’ struck a guilty nerve wiht us. We are aware that we have made a couple of cracks about your decision to live in France – and we regret not resisting that oportunist points-scoring urge.
You have a depth of knowledge and a live and lively interest in your place which are substantial contributions to the level of debate on these pages we enjoy observing.
This is what the Internet is for – to enable anyone with an interest to connect with anything from anywhere.
So, shall we make a deal that we apologise for making unworthy superficial cracks – which we wholeheartedly do; and that you only mention your physical – clearly not your intellectual- distance from Argyll if it is germane to what you are saying at any given time?
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Councillor George Freeman. I am sorry for including you with the rest of the hopeless bunch of councillors we currently have in Argyll & Bute. I admire a councillor who is prepared to put his community first rather than toe the party line. My local councillor in Argyll & Bute does not even hold a surgery for his constituants.
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For newsroom – living a thousand miles away and commenting on issues in Argyll might be seen with some justification as an impertinence, so thank you for your observations.
I don’t always agree with your views or the way you present them, but you are provoking real debate about the issues that matter in the area and making people think and question the validity of decisions made on their behalf.
But for God’s sake don’t get any mad notions about going into print – not unless you can afford the sort of libel lawyers that Ian Hislop keeps in his filing cabinet at Private Eye…….
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There is much talk here of election hustings meetings . I very much hope there are meetings in all the communities of the constituency open to all and chaired by an independent .
Politicians in the area used to be able to hold open meetings , sadly in recent years they have been unwilling to do so blaming the apathy of the electorate , when in fact the problem appears to be the inability of the candidates to articulate their policies to the general population .
The idea that election meetings take place for example only for National Farmers Union members or other small groups is an affront to democracy .
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I agree entirely with kintyre1 this time
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Right again, Kintyre1 – this is getting to be a habit!
Hustings meetings are fine in principle, but speaking from experience they have pitfalls.
Problems can arise when the floor is thrown open to questions, in that one particular group of activists can monopolise the proceedings and distort them to their own perceived advantage.
You need a strong chairman, and also one with sufficient knowledge of his community to ensure that ‘the usual suspects’ aren’t allowed to dominate the proceedings.
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Clearly Mrs Hay reads “for argyll” as she has indicated that she will be contributing to the Election coverage.
Why does she not respond to the challenging allegations above about her expenses and why she has presented the bill for these to the electors of Argyll & Bute?
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To be fair Mrs Hay has not gained anything over and above her expenses. That they have come from council funds is i would expect the agreed system used by the authorities.
Hardly a ‘Jim Devine’.
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For phill: As you say, the issue is why the council accepts that it should pay expenses – and significant expenses – that, by any reasonable analysis, are due to COSLA, who, as the payer of the salary, are the employer of a Scotland-wide representative at a Scotland-wide forum.
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It is the scale of expenses which Alison Hay has rung up as a political LibDem COSLA appointment compared to all her fellow Councillors in Argyll & Bute which is so surprising. She has claimed more than £25,000 on COSLA expenses which is some 11 times greater than the Council Leader. The fact that this has been claimed from Argyll & Bute Council coffers just adds insult to injury.
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To Dotty not daft;
Yes, fair comment it appears re the huge expenses. Can we establish what the expenses were for? Can we look it up somewhere?
To Newsroom;
For the record, I believe Cosla should pick up the tab, and i agree the expenses paid should be reimbursed to ABC by ‘cosla’, for the period of her appointment.
We in Argyll and Bute simply can not afford that ammount of money.
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For Phil: The council is legally required to provide a detailed breakdown on any councillor’s expenses, if asked.
Some council’s publish them as a matter of course.
Argyll and Bute does not – but a Freedom of Information request, stating the time period which the information should cover – which might be from 2007 to the present or 1999 to the present or whatever you like – would bring you the details.
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As far as local hustings go, I took the opportunity, through the Chair, during the Bute hustings last year to ask the audience, towards the end of the meeting, how many had changed their voting intentions since the start of the hustings.
Honesty prevailed as only 4 people sitting together at the back put their hand up.
The remaining 60-65 plus the 7 candidates were not for changing their voting intentions.
Coverage in the local papers/media is positive when balanced and fair.
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