Jim McGovern was too lazy to show up to the debate or vote either way. The vote had a 38.2% turnout. Look out for he and others lecturing in the media about vote apathy in the near future.

Speaking of Jim McGovern I had a letter from him.

A quick timeline
22nd March I write to him asking him to oppose DEB and what he intends to do.
7th April he doesn’t show up to debate.
7th April I get letter from him.

This letter was not to do with the DEB (still waiting Jim) but was his Election called, I’m not MP *cough* vote for me *cough* excuse to use up his branded stationary to all constituents. Pretty insulting right?

The content of the letter was even more so:

I will not be able to ..deal with constituency casework over the election period.

Liar

MPs are able to work on cases for constituents if the constituent understands they are not doing so as an MP and agree for them to continue on work.

So not only does he ignore my letter, he doesn’t turn up to the debate I was asking about and on the day of the debate writes to me with incorrect information.

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Courier article

The overriding incident, which I found disgusting and unforgivably embarrassing, was that I was approached by the (Labour) group through Kevin (Keenan), asking if I would give up two years of my term of office to keep Mr Borthwick on board, who would subsequently get me an OBE. I am disappointed to say that Mr Borthwick made the same request to me later.

I turned both requests down, of course, expressing my disgust to both of them and reporting the incidents to the relevant officers of the council.

Which is a bit of an explosive revelation as [OBE] Appointments are made on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms.

It would show just how the honours system works.

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He claims to have a long list of reasons for resigning but only reveals one:

I have been trying to persuade my ex-colleagues for nearly two years to recognise the fact that, in the interests of the city and fair play, Dundee City Council committee conveners should be compiled from all parties

Mr Letford said that was more than self-evident when the SNP, as the largest single party on the council with 13 members, had been excluded from any role in the administration. The situation had been made worse since the SNP increased to 14 members—almost half the 29-member council— by winning the Maryfield by-election earlier this month.

It is ludicrous to believe all the political talent required to run a city is only available in the administration and exclude half of the councillors

My pleas fell on deaf ears and, because of that and other serious differences, I felt I could no longer stay a member of the administration and the Labour group.

This afternoon was Labour’s chance to throw some mud. Jim McGovern implied that he was only interested in keeping his allowance as Lord Provost and that he no longer has principles. Clearly he missed Labour trying to form an even wider alliance of everyone but the SNP in an effort to keep their convenership allowances. That doesn’t mean his charge isn’t true, just a bit short sighted.

Kevin Keenan was next in a bizarre move claiming that Labour intend to nominate an SNP councillor,Liz Fordyce, for Depute Lord Provost. Liz Fordyce laughed off the proposal – showing it to be well thought out.

Ernie Ross was wheeled out to prattle on, his nonsense included claiming Labour are a democratic socialist party. That would be wrong on both counts Ernie you rent a quote former MP. (Ernie once tried to defend voting for war to me in the street making the ludicrous claims that because Tony Blair repeated a lie that didn’t mean he wasn’t telling the truth)

Jill Shimi who sent her kids to a private school whilst making ludicrous claims about how great the state schools in the city are was also wheeled out alongside Chic Farquhar. Shimi said nothing of importance. Farquhar makes a decent point, that the constituents voted for a Labour candidate and Letford should resign and force a by election.

Unfortunately the Labour first preference results for the ward show Letford scoring 1385 votes, Ferguson 940 and cueball Hind trailing on 479. (Hind and Fergusons results being unexpectedly reversed following an anonymous smear campaign from sources unknown saying to vote Ferguson instead of Hind). With Letfird having 49.3% of the Labour vote and being elected on Round 3 with Ferguson on Round 9 it seems like a rearrange the deckchairs strategy from Labour.

The Evening Telegraph also confirmed the dates I couldn’t find on a quick lunchtime Google search.

Labour have run the council since 1980 and have been in charge since 1946 for all but 11 years. No doubt it’s those 11 years that all the city’s problems were created…

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One of the SNP councillors resigned as councillor and prompted a by election. The SNP won this comfortably with 48.89% of the first votes.

Earlier this year a Labour councillor resigned. At the by election the SNP again won it comfortably.

This shifted the balance to 14 SNP, 9 Labour, 3 Tory, 2 Liberal Democrat and 1 Independent. Needing 15 for a majority it seemed clear that the SNP would take power with Borthwick as kingmaker, and in this case democrat.

Today there was a shock though. John Letford, the Lord Provost and most prominent member of the Labour Party in the city resigned the Labour group and now sits as an independent.

This shifts it to 14 SNP, 8 Labour, 3 Tory, 2 Liberal Democrats and 2 Independents. The two independents being Lord Provost and Depute Lord Provost can probably show what deal is being struck.

In the course of 6 years Labour have went from largest Councillor group to being 3 behind at the election, losing 2 by elections by clear margins and a defection. A defection of their most prominent, well known, longest serving councillor? and to be fair, most well liked member in the city.

It is worth noting the thoughts of the Labour Party spokesman after the by election. He is anonymous but believed to be former Information Minister in Iraq.

We are pleased that Labour increased our share of the vote in what the SNP were convinced was a very safe council seat for them.

Coupled with recent by-election wins, it shows that the momentum is moving from away from the SNP.

Of course reality, as ever, contradicts the Labour Party.

Dundee Councillors 1995 to 2009

Jim McGovern has written a piece on his site.

In it he implies that John Letford has no principles and is only out to line his own pockets. He also mocks him for a claim he made about what was at his core – Labour and the Trade Union Movement.

Quick Quiz:
If you cut the Labour Party in two what would you find?

(Comedy Option: 2 Tory parties)

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