Move over Del Boy ...

I'm almost lost for words - well not quite! - but have a quick read at this opinion-piece in today's edition of my favourite local newspaper ...

... now, all is fair in love, war and politics and I'm NOT going to be critical of the Liberals 'trying' to lay the blame on Labour for the ongoing challenges that undoubtedly exist around Child Inspection services at the Council.

But, once again, they're trying to take credit - without any justification whatsoever - for positive aspects of policy that have got absolutely NOTHING to do with them. They claim in the opinion-piece that "since the new administration took over we have taken a number of steps to make improvements. An additional £6 million was allocated to meet the needs of vulnerable children and those at risk of child protection concerns."

That's a lie - plain and simple.

It was actually an additional £6.25million and was put into the Children and Families budget in February 2007 by me, as the then Executive Member, when the then Labour Administration set the 2007/08 budget - you know, that budget that is near-causing the end of civilisation in the city as I ruminated about earlier.

The Liberals, in the same opinion-piece, then go on to claim that "this (money) was used to increase the number of foster carer and residential placements. The number of children's social workers has increased from 114 to 143 over the last two years."

That's all true - but it was all achieved under the previous Labour Administration, and not as somehow 'alluded-to' as a direct result of anything the Liberals did!

Now, just to be clear, I'll repeat that I accept there are huge challenges still existing around the Child Inspection Services in Edinburgh - I've never said otherwise. But very significant progress has been made in recent years and it really is low-politics at its worst for the Liberals to lie in an attempt to take the credit for that progress.

And politicians wonder why folk are disillusioned with our trade :-((