SNP VS INDEPENDENTS

ROUND ONE

This morning in the Paisley Daily Express there is a rather interesting article, it concerns Cllr Bill Martin. Apparently Cllr Martin is standing down at the next election, availing himself of the Scottish Executive's pension pay out for older Councillors of £20,000. Why is this news I hear you ask? Well ... it turns out that the SNP are not happy because Bill has decided his wife Carolyn (see here for information, try the section on evidence) will be standing in Glenburn in his place.

The accusation by Cllr MacKay of the SNP is that he is trying to have his cake an eat it!

One thing is for sure this is not the last you have heard of this row, it will probably be replayed in the run up to the election, watch this space for round two.

SNP CANDIDATE QUITS THE SNP

MARTIN QUITS

It comes as no real surprise to anyone in Renfrewshire to hear that Cllr Bill Martin has left the SNP, despite last week being announced as the candidate for the Paisley South Scottish Parliament seat (and being number nine on their regional list for the West of Scotland). His wife and failed Council candidate left the SNP about six months after Cllr Richard Vassie (ex SNP) was expelled from the group. He was expelled when he was suspended by the Standards Commission for a year after verbally abusing members of Council staff while allegedly inebriated at a council function. The reason many people thought that Mrs Martin left was that she was Cllr Vassie's guest at the particular function, and was similarly questioned by the Standards Commission who came to the conclusion that her testimony was 'evasive and unconvincing' (quote from the standards commissions decision which can be found here).


After this suspension was given to Cllr Vassie, Mrs Martin and a n other left the party tearing up their cards, so it would seem something of an anti climax that Cllr Martin jumped before he was pushed by his colleagues in the SNP, the details are still somewhat hazy but he was to ungo a disciplinary hearing next week, I doubt this is the last we will hear of this so watch this space.