Comment posted Russell presence at council administration away day raises concerns by KintyreToo.
Lowry they have fallen out with each other. Walsh is just waiting to get Elaine Robertson in addition to Argyll First. Watch the next council meeting to see if he succeeds.
KintyreToo also commented
- Didn’t read the email properly. Fred Hall has resigned as SNP Group whip not resigned the SNP whip. He is part of SNP Group in name but takes no part.
- Fred Hall has resigned from SNP Group after clashes with Russell, Glen-Lee and Macuish. They are all at each others throats.
- Argyll First to leave coalition? The Turncoat Tory humiliated over roads. Nice but Dim Macuish. Semple plotting exposed. Blair expelled for disagreeing with SNP policy on ferries. Robb just too clever. Glen-Lee first loyalty to boss Russell. Breslin too busy elsewhere. Rest are lightweights. Walsh and Argyll First ARE working on a deal to take control of council.
Recent comments by KintyreToo
- Councillor Semple campaigns for better mobile phone coverage
Should read “Semple campaigns for Council Leadership”. Russell strips the Turncoat Tory of roads and gives it to Semple. Keep taking the hush money Donald. - Councillor Semple campaigns for better mobile phone coverage
Russell pulling the strings again and watch his puppets dance. The solution – a petition! Get in the expert in political stunts – the Turncoat Tory time to earn a bit of that hush money Donald - Jackie Baillie MSP not invited to council administration away day
The Turncoat Tory stripped of his roads responsibility on Russell’s orders after this meeting. Keep taking the hush money Donald. Macuish doesn’t wipe his bum with asking Russell which paper to use. - A83 Task Force meeting
What a disgrace, no-one from Argyl First there. Not even the Turncoat Tory, Kelly the council spokesperson for roads but silenced by hush-money. Maybe he wasn’t going to risk the A83. How will trunking the road make it any better newsie? - Looks like a council reshuffle
Glen-Lee spends more time working for Mike Russell than being a councillor. Not hearing much from the turncoat Tory Kelly on all this. Just keep taking the hush-money Donald.
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If “For Argyll” had asked me , I would have been happy to confirm that I attended the first hour of the meeting in Mull three weeks ago to discuss means of working together, as I am the Constituency MSP for Argyll & Bute. I then left before any discussion of other issues. The invitation for me to do so came from the group leader and all those present – of whatever political persuasion – seemed to welcome the opportunity to have constructive partnership working as much as I did.
Co -operation between elected representatives to serve the people of the area woud seem to be a constructive step forward, or so I woud hope.
BTW and for the record the version of events repeated by “For Argyll” here regarding the end of the SNP involvement in the previous coalition has been, over a long period, denied categorically by all involved.
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Newsie – finally!!
“Mr Russell was said to have summoned the SNP group within the council and instructed them to leave power in the then coalition in which they were a junior partner – in the interests of protecting his own chances of election”.
Myself and few others said this at the time but we were poo-poohed by yourself and the SNP on-line mob on here. ‘This was not political convenience we were told this was political integrity’. This was the brave SNP leaving the Coalition to Save Schools. While actually it was a political instruction to the SNP Group locally who then denied all knowlwedge of a school, closure programme.
Pffft.
Newsie – finally getting there but months and may lying articles afterwards and even then only after falling out with Mikey Boy Russell.
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I had heard from people that Russell got an easy ride on here because he was a friend and neighbour of one of the founders. I am glad he appears to be getting the same scrutiny as any other politician would get on here.
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Simon – we have not said that Mr Russell DID this. We do not know that.
What we have said here is, as you quote but do not appear to understand (and as, amusingly, neither does Mr Russel) is: ”Mr Russell WAS SAID to have summoned…’
It is the allegation as much as whatever the fact was or was not that ought to produce greater circumspection.
We produced no ‘lying articles’ nor have we ‘fallen out’ with anyone.
What you ought to be able to understand is that our role is to be watchful of those in power – on the lines of the wisdom that ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’.
This means that we will always seem ‘agin’. You used to accuse us of being an SNP mouthpiece, now you believe we have ‘fallen out’ with Mr Russell.
Neither is correct.
We are simply what you might call ‘an awkward customer’ . Our job is to work without fear or favour to hold to account and to identify departures from the use of consistent and evidenced criteria in decision taking; objective fairness; and good practice.
In terms of Mr Russell, like any other politician there are times when he behaves badly, even cheaply and in defiance of evidence; and there are times when he is securely reasoned and effective.
It is our job, without prejudice, to discriminate appropriately between these modes. We do.
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So in summary Simon you have no opinion whatsoever on the story but are just jumping at a chance to claim you were right despite the lack of any credible evidence to support it including Mike Russell (I am pretty sure his parent didn’t give him the middle name ‘Boy’) being challenged on it at Holyrood and there being no finding against him. Remind me of your take on the Jo Smith issue.
My opinion on the issue of Mike Russell attending this event is that it isn’t only perfectly understandable but should actually be promoted as a good model for local and central government to work together better. MSPs and local councillors, irrespective of political allegiance, should have an overall agreement on their responsibility to do the very best for the region they have been elected to represent. Of course there will be different opinions on what ‘the best’ is and also the route to get there but it seems counterproductive to constantly operate in isolation and share ideas through a formal, somewhat stuffy and archaic process of reports, tabled questions and briefing notes.
The world moves on slowly and politics often moves even slower than that due to procedure and governance. Sometimes this is important and necessary but other times, especially when discussing issues of strategy, sharing ideas, and general directions of movement, it is far more beneficial to resort to that good old human skill of talking face to face.
There isn’t an MSP in the land who doesn’t converse with the administration in their area, and certainly not one who isn’t in reasonably regular contact with their own local party. That this was a meeting with the administration rather than just the SNP should be welcomed.
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Who paid for any costs of Russell being there/getting there?
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Given that he was on MSP business it would clearly have been the public purse as is rightly so. Any politician, be they local or central, whilst on public duty should be allowed to claim their travel expenses back.
The expenses scandal was rightly directed at people who are fraudulently using public money for items they should never have been claiming for. An MSP meeting a local administration in an area he represents,, about issues affecting the region is clearly on duty.
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Was it MSP or SNP business though given he was the only MSP there and the only one invited?
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Whichever it was I think it unlikely he will be claiming from the wrong pot – after all he lives in A&B so it is going to be peanuts on a mileage claim.
If he had decided to go to Edinburgh for the day to Holyrood then the expenses claim would have been far higher and taken out of the public pocket.
Don’t get me wrong I have no problem with challenging expenses (in fact I am all for it) but this sounds a little like clutching at straws – the expenses incurred here are probably less than a third of a tank of petrol (which I will grant you at today’s prices could proabbly build a school!)
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Yeah it wasn’t really the amount, just more curiosity than anything.
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Well I seem to have got that one wrong and am happy to say so unreservedly.
Sorry.
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Well done you.
I always say there is hope.
Here’s to the future Simon.
Iain
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And thank you.
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I think Mike Russell is a little confused with the meaning of ‘working together’ what he actually did for the first hour of that meeting was tell councillors how it was going to be, especially with regard to the sell off of our Cal-Mac ferry service.
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We had heard rumours of bit of a ding dong between Mr Russell and an SNP councillor who was not overawed and was profoundly alarmed at what he was hearing on Scottish Government plans for the west coast lifeline ferry services.
We made no attempt to verify this with a view to publication because this would deflect attention to the fun of a stooshie – if it were true – and away from the most serious issue we are looking at over the coming year and well beyond.
It was enough even to hope that there was an SNP councillor with the values to be prepared to put the public interest above falling into line on party policy on a matter of this gravity.
The uncertainty over what may happen to these genuinely lifeline ferry services is unhelpful enough without contemplating the course of action the Government appears to be intending to take. We have no inside knowledge on this, by the way, only what we can determine from the external evidences available – which we published on yesterday here: http://forargyll.com/2012/08/official-david-macbrayne-groups-ceo-has-not-resigned/
However, we had no idea that this rumoured energetic disagreement was supposed to have happened at this particular meeting
If it did, this issue-specific content does not square at all with the abstract procedural discussion we are told took place on how the coalition administration might best work together’. Nor does it square with the essentially passive role Mr Russell implies in his comment above that he played in that first hour.
None of us may ever know the truth of what went on at that session – but your comment, if it is based on fact, keeps serious questions on Mr Russell’s presence and purpose there very much alive.
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“We had heard rumours of bit of a ding dong between Mr Russell and an SNP councillor who was not overawed and was profoundly alarmed at what he was hearing on Scottish Government plans for the west coast lifeline ferry services.” The councillor duty is to the people and not to a party, surely all councillors would behaved in the honourable way as that one did, it should be normal practise. Well done that councillor who ever he or she is.
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Well done to the councillor and i cant see Roddy McCuish being a yes man if he feels his area is being short changed. Wouldnt bet against him in a debate with any of the SNP hierarchy.
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Given the total mess that was made of the Dunoon Gourock ferry service anybody using a route that might be tendered has every right to be extremely concerned.
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How much better it would be for us all , if politicians spent their long summer holidays speaking to the electorate rather than holding love ins with one another
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I think it is great they managed to cover so much ground on the future of Argyll in just an hour.
We in Oban have been waiting over 5 years for the councillors to actually do something with the Chord money they were loaned.I hope Mike Russell gave them some ideas.
As for the rest of the story from Mull I hope he asked councillor Louise Glen-Lee why she is not standing for re-election after such a short time since the election.
She has just added a another role to her extensive potfolio.
locally the SNP are not happy with her not telling them what she planned to do so it must make her position very awkward for Roddy.She should of had the decency to inform him at least how can he be expected to plan anything if his own troops are doing there own thing.
Cheers Neil.
More on Mull later.
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Pingback: Argyll News: Jackie Baillie MSP not invited to council administration away day | For Argyll
If the island of Islay are considering taking stepps to control their own ferry, might this not be a good move on behalf of the island of Mull as well.
New boat (preferably boats), reliable gangway and improved customer service and pricing would all follow with short term benefits.
The sky (sea) is the limit to the possibilities.
Island Community trust is already proving what is possible and could at least act as facilitator.
Change doesn’t have to spell doom and gloom but should be seen as an opportunity.
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On their next taxpayer funded outing the politicians should reflect on the words of Solicitor Advocate Alasdair Bonnington that Holyrood has caused “huge damage ” to Scots Law and caused more damage in 13 years to Scots Law than Westminster did in 300 years
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Just wondered what Scots Law has to do with taxpayer funded outings? The erosion of Scots law may well be concerning however if it is all that horrible Holyroods doing then maybe while you are having a go at Scotland’s parliament a wee bit of memory jogging is required regarding sqeaky clean Westminster’s diabolical expenses overseeing. Puts these nit picking accusations into perspective, not that we should become complacent mind you as I for one would hate for the contagion of these scandals to infect our very own Parliament. Think we managed to put a stop to it with Labour’s very own devine Jim hopefully acting as a deterrent for the rest of Scotland’s MP’s not to fiddle their expenses.
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Argyll First to leave coalition? The Turncoat Tory humiliated over roads. Nice but Dim Macuish. Semple plotting exposed. Blair expelled for disagreeing with SNP policy on ferries. Robb just too clever. Glen-Lee first loyalty to boss Russell. Breslin too busy elsewhere. Rest are lightweights. Walsh and Argyll First ARE working on a deal to take control of council.
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I don’t think it will be long before they all start to fall out. There is a significant lack of experience amongst some councillors in senior positions. Being in opposition is easy – being responsible isn’t as easy.
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Lowry they have fallen out with each other. Walsh is just waiting to get Elaine Robertson in addition to Argyll First. Watch the next council meeting to see if he succeeds.
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We have said from the outset that we see Argyll First – whose integrity is always reassuring – as the canary in the mine.
We have no information of any kind on any of kites flown here by Kintyre Too but were Argyll First to walk, it really would be a sign, not of disputes but of disease.
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My experience of some local individuals within the SNP is that it is full of rot. Some of the evidence is provided in your other article about the rubbish on Easdale Island. Why have Mackenzie MSP, Melville and the chair of Eilean Eisdeal (who has declared herself to be a supporter of the SNP) allowed, or in my opinion, even encouraged such a mess to be made on community land?
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Fred Hall has resigned from SNP Group after clashes with Russell, Glen-Lee and Macuish. They are all at each others throats.
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Cant comment on any of the above speculation other than to say previously many councillors used this site to forward their ideas and explain actions. Its been terrible quiet of late.
Whats going on-If anyhing?
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We have checked this with Fred Hall and it is incorrect.
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Give it time.
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Didn’t read the email properly. Fred Hall has resigned as SNP Group whip not resigned the SNP whip. He is part of SNP Group in name but takes no part.
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This will be my last comment on For argyll!
It is pointless to try to exchange views with contributors whose whole and only agenda is to stop progress and who are prepared to use nothing but relentless negativity, vindictiveness, poisonous comment and downright lies!
Don,t bother to comment on this post, Chaps! I will not be back to read it!
Keep talking amongst yourselves. You deserve each other!!
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Some of the posts do appear to have the credibility of the football transfer window rumours.
(Messi seen at London airport – about to sign for Chelsea)
Can anyone point me toward anything remotely credible that suggests Argyll First are keen to walk out and form a new adminstration with Dick Walsh. From my knowledge of the party there is as much chance of CSB working with the old Alliance members as there is Argyll First being prepared to become voting puppets for their flawed approach to ‘independent’ politics.
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Dot you have identified a sad trend which I FEEL is somewhat orcastrated as well, and so I TOO will be following your example.
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I wouldn’t mind reading negativity, vindictiveness, poisonous comment and downright lies if it came from people who had the courage to put their names to their comments.
Some contributors have good reasons for needing to withhold their true identities from readers – such contributors are characterised by the thoughtful and worthwhile nature of their comments despite their anonymity. The rest are just using it as a cloak for their own unwillingness to be challenged or held to account personally for their daft prejudices.
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I’ll predict the nats such as Dot MacDonald who appear to be too busy fighting among themselves at present over NATO , Trident , gay marriage , devo max etc etc , will be back posting their nonsense before the referendum eventually takes place .
Like all bullies they have wilted when confronted by some people standing up to them .
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And here we have ife, such an upstanding man, content to castigate, lie and turn facts on their heads while hiding his identity. In the world of www that is currently known as TROLLING.
I’m with Dot and Iain, I’ve purposely visited this site less and less as the insanity has increased.
It’s impossible to debate on here,no-one is bringing sound evidence or sensible offerings.I’m fearful that if I hang around the infection may spread and I too will start frothing at the mouth and delivering spittle-flecked diatribes……you get the picture? Sorry, but there is a big internet land out there, full of far more interesting and useful discussions.
Perhaps when Independent, many voices on here will be silent……what a delicious thought.
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Give me one example where I have “lied” on this site . Put up or shut up .
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IFE: faced with the sort of ignorant bile that you churn out, it sounds as if she’s decided to shut up (unfortunately). If you read her past posts you might get to understand the difference between reasonably robust comment and garbage.
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I don’t like whipping myself much either. I never understood why the man (Fred Hall) decided to join the SNP in the first place – he’s always been independently minded. Even during the hustings he didn’t seem to be “on message” with the SNP.
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Lowry – glad to hear you don’t like whipping yourself – does that mean you have tried it?
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Tried it all ways – quite a painful experience! I don’t like having my hands tied or being gagged either! Much prefer being independent!!
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Just to quash the rumour mill, Argyll First continue and will continue to work in collaboration with colleagues of the current administration and at no time have any of the 3 of us been engaged in any deal with other groups within the council. Hope this clarifies the situation
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Newsroom after asking Fred did you also get in touch with Louise to get her to clarify her position about not standing for re-election.
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Could be time for Kintyre Too to ‘put up or shut up’.
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Not at all Robert. I think we all accept that Kintyretoo is more in tune with the thought processes of Argyll First than Cllr Philand is!
I am just waiting for Simon to come on and castigate kintyretoo for baseless claims.
Good to hear Dougie though I don’t think anyone who actually applied rational thought to this issue ever actually doubted it.
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