Jim Spence - Standards In Public Life
Excellent opinion column from Jim Spence in The Courier in which he raises due process, partisan behaviour and proper standards in public life.
Jim also points out, very fairly, that many Scottish councillors have second jobs even though SNP ministers are proposing to boost their minimum salary to £25,300 - an eye-watering increase of 19% in a single year!
JIM SPENCE: Why I’m concerned about Dundee councillor’s talks with FM over Israel meeting
Nadia El-Nakla won assurances there will be no further meetings between the Scottish Government and Israeli diplomats after crisis talks with John Swinney.
Dundee councillor Nadia El-Nakla.
By Jim Spence - The Courier
Proper standards are important in public life.
I’m a big believer in due process and carrying out duties according to best practice.
Things are done in a certain way so that there’s a degree of certainty in what we can expect from those in authority,
That’s why I found three things very concerning recently.
Firstly, there was the outrageously partisan behaviour of the Home Office referring to those arrested in the recent riots as “criminals” in a social media post.
They ignored two fundamental pillars of justice in the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial in the courts of law.
Those arrested may well turn out to be guilty as charged.
But it’s a dangerous day for all of us when some anonymous civil servant decides guilt in advance of both the evidence and an impartial trial.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has already shown dangerous signs of intolerance in his remarks on this subject and as a former prosecutor he needs to quickly rein in such behaviour.
‘Beyond remit of devolved powers’
The second thing to trouble me was Angus Robertson, apparently with the permission of the SNP leader John Swinney, meeting the Israeli ambassador.
That is something which, irrespective of your views on the Israeli-Palestine conflict, clearly went beyond the remit of the devolved powers of the Scottish Government as a matter reserved for Westminster.
It was ill-judged.
And thirdly was the lack of clarity as to which hat Nadia El-Nakla was wearing when the councillor for the West End of Dundee won assurances from Swinney the Scottish Government would have no further meetings with Israeli diplomats.
Angus Robertson with Israel’s deputy ambassador to the UK.
Wearing her SNP Friends of Palestine hat is perfectly acceptable [Ms El-Nakla – whose parents were trapped in Gaza last year – is group convener].
But any blurring of the lines between her meeting the first minister in that role and as part of her councillor duties must be clearly distinguished.
Last year Ms El-Nakla – the wife of former FM Humza Yousaf – controversially attended a Gaza summit in Turkey at the invitation of Emine Erdogan, the country’s first lady.
Scottish Government officials had urged caution over her attendance.
‘Job isn’t to posture on world issues’
I’m wholly against those in positions of authority straying into territory beyond their powers.
In the case of local councillors, they should concentrate their energies on only things which directly impinge on Dundonians, and which they might actually be able to affect in a meaningful way.
If Dundee’s new SNP council leader Mark Flynn wants to improve life for residents, he should rein in any councillors more interested in the Middle East than Menzieshill and keener to discuss America than Ardler.
New Dundee City Council Leader Mark Flynn. Image: Paul Reid
There’s nothing wrong in having a view on world affairs but that’s not the job that we elect our city councillors to do.
Scotland’s annual drugs death statistics again make grim reading for Dundee, with the city in a downward spiral of lives lost to the demon of addiction.
If councillors want to tackle something where they can actually make an impact, as opposed to virtue signalling on issues they can’t influence, this is one area they might concentrate their energies on.
Not matters which major political leaders, never mind humble town councillors, have been unable to solve for decades.
The job of councillors isn’t to posture on world issues, no matter how urgent or distressing they are.
‘Deliver public services effectively’
Their job is to do what they’re elected to do and see that education, cleansing, waste management and planning are all delivered efficiently.
If they want to preach about Palestine or Donald Trump, or any other weighty international matters, they must do it in an individual capacity.
The remit of their office is for local matters and if local politics can’t contain their vaulting ambitions or pretensions – and if they want to stride the world stage – then they should stand for Westminster.
That’s where there is a realistic opportunity to attempt to impact such events.
At a time when councillors – many who have second jobs – are to see allowances raised to £25,300 a year, some voters who are less well off by comparison will be keener to see them deliver public services effectively.
