The first SNP councillor to lead The City of Edinburgh Council has launched a blistering attack on what he calls the “underhand” coalition governing Scotland’s capital.
In a candid interview, Adam Nols-McVey, who last month stepped down as SNP leader, alleged that while the minority Labour administration publicly denies being in a formal coalition, behind the scenes they are working hand-in-glove with the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives to push through policies.
He told The Edinburgh Reporter: “The dogs on the street know it’s a stitch up and that when it comes to budget time, appointments, major decisions – they all vote together as a Labour-Tory-Lib Dem coalition.”
He accused the three parties of deliberately trying to “hoodwink” Edinburgh residents about the true nature of their relationship. As an example, he cited the council leader, Labour’s Cammy Day, repeatedly refusing to specify which party is accountable for the controversial short-term lets policy, with responsibilities split between Tory and Lib Dem conveners.
“They are not being honest with the people of Edinburgh about how decisions affecting them are being taken,” McVey claimed. “There is a problem with the democratic functioning of the council.
“It’s this dishonesty that I think breeds mistrust, and also just looks like bare naked gameplay. For the Lib Dems to pretend that they are not in coalition while receiving £100,000 pounds of additional salary allowances for being in administration, looks ridiculous to people. That like somebody’s trying to tell everyone that the sky is purple when they can look outside and see that it’s actually blue.”
The former leader also slammed Labour politicians for lacking the “dedication” to properly scrutinise officials and drive change on major issues like nursery provision and damp/mould in council housing.
He added: “It is patently obvious to everyone. Joan Griffiths (education convenor) is a nice person, but is essentially asleep at the wheel and is doing nothing to challenge officers who take decisions ‘off table’.
“Decision are getting rubber stamped by Labour politicians who are not even bothering to read the briefings that are put in front of them. And it’s being nodded along with the Tories and Lib Dems who are going along with it because they don’t want to upset the applecart.
“I don’t think it’s inaccurate to say that they can’t be bothered to drive forward change. We’re seeing this day in day out right across committees, with Labour politicians who can’t really sit still long enough to actually get into the issue and create the right solutions
“So officers are creating the solutions they think are best and sometimes they might be right – but often we are finding they’re not driving forward with the change that I think people of Edinburgh would expect. The two other parties are quite happy with things the way they are regardless of how terrible the outcome is for people in Edinburgh, so just vote along with it time after time after time.”
McVey, who led the SNP group for seven years, will continue to represent Leith from the backbenches and is looking forward to spending more time with his young family, but vowed to support the next leader in continuing to hold the administration’s “feet to the fire” from the opposition benches.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
