Spineless Jellyfish

The Mayor of London - Boris Johnson - is a colourful character who knows how to deliver a good insult.

Yesterday Boris described members of the London Assembly - to whom he reports as Mayor - as “great supine protoplasmic invertebrate jellies” - which in plain language means spineless jellyfish, I think.

The Mayor's ire was raised because Assembly members voted to bypass their opportunity to question Boris about his budget - which prompted the following comment to the Labour member - Jeanette Arnold - who was in the Chair:

“Are you saying they’re abdicating their duty to scrutinise me? Are you saying they haven’t the guts to put questions to me? Great supine protoplasmic invertebrate jellies. That’s it. They don’t want to ask me any questions.”

Now the reason the Chair and some other Members wanted to move swiftly on to next business without questioning the Mayor - is that they hoped to take advantage of his deputy's absence.

But the Mayor's deputy - Victoria Borthwick - arrived in the nick of time to scupper the wizard wheeze - leaving Boris to lord it over his spineless jellyfish after his budget was passed.

As it turns out I think the London Mayor might have borrowed this line from me - as I used it in an previous post about Edinburgh Council in February 2011.

Spineless in Edinburgh (19 December 2011)

Readers from Edinburgh continue to send me examples of elected councillors - trying to wash their hands of the City Council's handling of the equal pay debacle.

As regular readers will know - the same council leadership that brought us the Edinburgh trams - is trying to defend the indefensible when it comes to equal pay claims from former APT&C workers - former white collar workers like social care workers, classroom assistants and catering managers.

To be completely fair it's not just the present City Council leadership - because the issue goes back to when Edinburgh was under Labour control - but the present lot are in the driving seat now and need to take responsibility for what is happening.

And what is happening is a disgrace - the City Council's argument (that former APT&C workers have no case) has been soundly thrashed not just once but three times - at the Employment Tribunal, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and in Scotland's highest civil court - the Court of Session - where three senior Scottish judges said that Edinburgh City Council is completely wrong.

In theory the City Council can appeal to the UK Supreme Court - and has until January 2012 to make up its mind - but if it does appeal it will be a complete and a further of time and public money.

In the meantime, the leadership of the City Council is telling people who raise the issue with them - 'nothing to do with me, you'll get a reply from some senior council official who'll answer your questions'.

What a cheek - is this what democracy in Scottish local government has come to - elected councillors hiding behind highly paid council officials - instead of standing up, explaining their views and taking responsibility for their actions?

I would refuse to be fobbed off or take NO - for an answer

So if you get a 'nothing to do with me response, then write back and say how disappointed you are - take the issue up with your own local councillor - and ask them how they can expect your vote in next year's council elections - if people behave in such a spineless manner.

Edinburgh City Council - along with all councils in Scotland - faces local elections in May 2012.

So this is a perfect opportunity to put your own councillor and the City Council leadership on the spot - by asking where they stand.