In Pursuit of Purcell.
John Mason, the SNP member for Glasgow East made another brave attempt at Prime Minister’s Question Time to open the sewer that Stephen Purcell recently crawled out of to inspection by the electorate.
He received nothing more than personal abuse from the Prime Minister by way of response. Gordon Brown made no attempt to answer the question merely hurled the accusation that John Mason had ‘spent more time’ voting in line with Conservative policies since he had been in Westminster and opined that ‘he should go back to Scotland’.
This is a monumental evasion of the central issue – the alarming revelations that have been slowly seeping out of the Glasgow political sewer week by week; champagne bills being paid by the tax payer, lucrative contracts awarded to Labour supporters, and of course the original claims that the man portrayed as the ‘second most important politician in Scotland’ and the public face of the council was not only a cocaine abuser and drunk who had considered suicide, but had been interviewed by the Serious Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, an event which failed to raise eyebrows amongst the council officials who were aware of it occurrence.
This is not the first attempt to throw light on the alleged corruption in Glasgow.
Nicola Sturgeon called for an independent inquiry into the downfall of Stephen Purcell.
“There is clearly a growing unease about the things people are reading and hearing about concerning the council, and they are saying if Labour have nothing to hide why are they opposing an independent inquiry?”
Angus Robertson, the SNP leader at Westminster raised a similar question on the 17th March, and Gordon Brown said he ‘would investigate whether a member of his staff took part in a conference call to discuss the suitability of Purcell. Mr Brown replied that he ‘knew nothing of the matter’. He has yet to answer that question.
Tom Harris MP later claimed that ‘there are votes to be won by exploiting this tragic case’ – there probably are votes to be won, not by exploiting Purcell’s difficulties, but by exposing the corruption behind the stress he was under!
This is not the first time that Glasgow Council have been protected from questions regarding alleged corruption. During my trawl of Hansard on this matter – what do I find?
Mr. McGOVERN asked the Lord Advocate what action he proposes to take in regard to the representations which have been made to him to set up a, judicial inquiry into the allegations of corrupt practices by members of the city council of Glasgow?
The LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. Craigie Aitchison) I have considered these representations, but have been unable to discover any ground on which I could advise that steps should be taken to have a tribunal of inquiry set up under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921.
Mr. McGOVERN If I am able to place additional and important evidence of corrupt practices by members of the Glasgow City Council, in addition to the already conclusive evidence submitted by me and others, will the Lord Advocate undertake to tear himself away from the political influences which are operating, and set up a tribunal?
That was July 1930 – the problem is more deep rooted than I had imagined.
Come on Scottish readers – someone tell me what that was all about in 1930!
‘Rita’ is sitting here waiting to be educated – your starter for 10…….
Whislt I am waiting, I offer you this piece of trivia – guess who first thought of concealing underground the nasty smelly mess humans would prefer not to dwell upon, where it was neither seen nor heard – a Paisley man – Jenning’s patent sewer pipes. The things you learn eh?
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April 7, 2010 at 15:28 -
Anna
In the 1930s it could have been anyone, even the Tories.
The Progressive and Unionist Party was a dominant force in Scotland and Glasgow. For many years there were Progressive MPs in Scotland maybe even rivalling the Labour numbers. They were Scottish Tories but independent of England Conservatives.
That changed in the 70s, I think, and they were subsumed by the London Conservatives who lust lost the plot and tried to rule by Imperial Decree.
Their votes disappeared like snow off a dyke and so did their MPs.
Thatcher killed the Tories off in Scotland and from that point on the Conservative have always been regarded as just an English party. During Thatcher’s years the story was that there were ore breeding pairs of Ospreys in Scotland that Tory voters. Ospreys are a protected species in Scotland, unlike the Conservatives who are fair game.
To return to your question as I said, it could have been any major party at that time, probably more likely to have been Unionist business men that Red Clydesiders who were fiercely anti corruption in those days.
Somewhere
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April 7, 2010 at 15:56 -
If you can get a copy of this all will be revealed! It reported on “Allegations of bribery and corruption in connection with the letting and allocation of stances and other premises under the control of the Corporation of Glasgow. “
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April 7, 2010 at 16:04 -
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April 7, 2010 at 16:17 -
1930? Just guessing. Building contracts for schools? Granting of licenses to sell alcohol? Things to do with the buses and trams? Buying jobs?
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April 7, 2010 at 16:44 -
Here is an extract from Hansard about setting up the inquiry. Apparently a magistrate was convicted in February 1933 of soliciting bribes for allocating stances (market pitches?) and that was enough to set the ball rolling. And then there are the December 1941 newspaper reports of Glasgow councillors and bribes… After reading Brian Deer’s article on Labour in Glasgow it appears that Glasgow politics has always been dirty.
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April 7, 2010 at 16:47 -
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April 7, 2010 at 16:48 -
Just had a look on Gutenberg…sorry..no trace there.
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April 7, 2010 at 17:06 -
Anna, Abebooks have a copy for sale here.
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April 7, 2010 at 17:10 -
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April 7, 2010 at 17:15 -
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April 7, 2010 at 19:45 -
Have you traced the book yet??
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April 7, 2010 at 20:34 -
political paedophiles have been abusing Scotland for a very very long time. Time after time individuals and groups have tried to expose them, as yet all have failed, the abuse and misery associated with it continues. If only the good people of England had looked north without sneering and jeering they would not have been so blind as to see what was coming their way. You have been warned, it is not just on your doorstep it resides in your great houses of parliament !!!!!!!!!
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April 7, 2010 at 21:24 -
Glasgow is the Wild West of Scotland in political terms and in social terms.
It is no surprise that it is referred to as” Soap Dodge City” by people who live outside of stabbing range of the West Coasts great unwashed.
Yes I am sure the Weegies love living there but I find it depressing to see so much potential going to waste so spectacularly.
Most of the cliché statements about Lazy Jocks, Drunks, Violence, Religious Hatred, Football Violence, Drugs, Corruption and deception have their roots in the behaviour of some of the residents of our 2nd City.
What do you expect when you see the state of the Council and its mob / weegie mafia connections of the highest ranking city officials.
When you hear the words Millionaire Glasgow Businessman and you realise they are selling services to their mates in the Labour party/ Labour council and winning lots of contracts and donating money to same Labour party and the same Labour councillors are now working for these same companies earning a fortune.
Only in Glasgow would it be so in your face and blatant. Only is Glasgow will you find Councillors who have stabbed people recently still working at the council. Where life expectancy is less than Gaza and the MP of 40 years is considered a hero when his constituents live is drug infested poverty and crime. Where MP’s spend £500,000 on expenses for their offices which happen to be in their own house. Where they pay their son’s £10,000 to maintain a website that would cost £300 else where. Where a crime family attend dinners with the PM and other Labour knobs. Where crime families run community centres, where investigations into serious crime are blocked by the council and police and where the chief of the Council of snorting Coke in a pub owned by a family of convicted drug dealers who have got a license from same Labour Glasgow council. Where the Drug Squad visit the council HQ to have a wee chat about councillors being blackmailled for snorting coke on camera after having gangsters back to his house. Where crime bosses make it to retirement rather than arrest. (That’s just what I can think of while I type!!)
Where the number of Labour officials standing down for “ill Health and Full Pensions” just as an investigation into their working practices and criminal connections is in double figures.
Where the media turn a blind eye, the police collect envelopes and the barristers sing sectarian songs on stage in public.
Some of the best people I have met live in Glasgow and some of the worst people ever created also live in Glasgow. They are a very mixed bunch but better avoided than cornered.
You would not need Miss Marple to work out what is going on. Sewer does not even begin to describe the corruption at every level in the Labour party in Glasgow.
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April 8, 2010 at 01:12 -
If you ever wondered what the UK would look like if Labour were in power non stop fro 70 years just go to Glasgow. Desperate poverty living next to a few wealthy individuals who have climbed the greasy council pole using their wits and cunning.
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April 8, 2010 at 09:12 -
Most of the cliché statements about Lazy Jocks, Drunks, Violence, Religious Hatred, Football Violence, Drugs, Corruption and deception have their roots in the behaviour of some of the residents of our 2nd City.
You’ll be from Edinburgh, you’ll have had your tea, then?
Awe fur coat and nae knickers, Edinburgh is.
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April 8, 2010 at 09:14 -
Aye, I was just saying the same to Wee Tam and Big Shuggie last night, over a bottle of soup, a Mars-bar supper and a lucky bag. See stereotypes, see pish.
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