Thursday, February 26, 2009

FACT - The SNP in Edinburgh APPROVED the Tram Project Contracts

Sorry to return to this, but I just really dislike complete political untruths ... they do us all down - the complete political class - and then we complain when people won't trust us?

Well, there's another classic being spun about the SNP in Edinburgh's ultimate stance on trams - I blogged about it extensively just yesterday and have just added an 'Update 2' to the bottom of that post.

I'll just repeat it here:

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UPDATE 2

Well, I was right in my prediction above: check the 3rd letter down - here - from today's local paper ...

Very strange that the 1st May 2008 report, which actually APPROVED the final contracts, isn't mentioned in Cllr. Cardownie's second letter - see the relevant report here, and you'll note from the minute of that meeting here that there was NO division at this contract signing stage.

Indeed, if you check out item 12, on pages 12-13 of that minute, I can even confirm that the SNP actually 'moved' paragraph 6 as an 'SNP addendum' (it was moved by Cllr. Buchanan) to the first 5 paragraphs and the whole motion was then APPROVED BY ALL 58 Councillors ... including every one of the 12 SNP Councillors.

SUMMARY - the 12 SNP Councillors in Edinburgh APPROVED the final contracts for the tram project in Edinburgh.

Talk about selective amnesia.

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So, as this Post title says:

FACT - The SNP in Edinburgh APPROVED the Tram Project Contracts.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

AH but noticed how you ignore how the Scottish Government were against the trams ? Labour are the architects of the trams and thanks to you and your collages the city is suffering for it.

It will take years to sort out the complete incompentcy that Labour have left behind in Edinburgh.

Andrew said...

AMW

Thanks for the comment.

OK - accept you're making a factual political point about Scottish Government support for the trams. I'm certainly not ignoring that.

As a supporter of the trams, I would obviously disagree with your assessment of their eventual impact.

And all I'm asking is that others accept my factual political point that the SNP locally DID eventually AGREE the tram contracts.

The local SNP can't have it both ways - which is what they want (I know) - but the TRUTH is that all 12 SNP Councillors agreed the tram contracts, they are in the ruling Coalition, and they should get on with delivering the project which they ultimately agreed, instead of doing Edinburgh down.

Andrew

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your reply..

Andrew you wrote..

"and finally the letter also claims that the only party to oppose the signing of the contract for the tram project was the SNP - even that is NOT STRICTLY TRUE as you'll see below ..."
..............

"NOT STRICTLY TRUE"!!! Well it appears your clutching at straws by using those words. The way i see it the SNP had no choice on supporting the Trams because that would have split the coalition with the Libs.

It is the same scenario with the Scottish Gov, they went with the will of the parliament (ie the majority).

If the SNP were not in power in Edinburgh then i bet they would have had nothing to do with the Trams and voted against it.

The reason like the majority of Edinburgh I'm against the Trams is because we have a perfectly good bus service in the city and the Trams are well out of the reach for the majority of the city's population. Basically we are spending £500 million for one track to run from Leith to the west of the city.

£500 million for an enlarged bendy bus and when the costs go up and businesses go to the wall because of all the upheaval, labour will blame the SNP, that's embra politics for you in a nutshell.

I hope the SNP tell the public that even without the SNP,s vote the trams would have still gone ahead.

Omar..

Andrew said...

Omar (AMW)

Thanks for the further comment - appreciated.

We're not going to agree on the merits (or otherwise) of trams. I respect your position but think it's wrong ... I'm sure the feeling is mutual :-)

But, on the main point I was trying to make - I do beleive you're agreeing with me. THEY SHOULD have left the Coalition - QUITE!!

instead, they voted for the trams - they even moved an addendum adjusting the Lib-Dem motion, all of which was universally approved and areed by all 58 Councillors.

The SNP are in charge of Edinburgh Council (alongside the Libs) and yet are trying to put a stop to its most significant infrastrucutre project for decades.

I do respect those who oppose trams - I disagree with them sure - but what I can't respect is the 'local' SNP position of trying to oppose the project, yet being part of the Coalition running the city. That's all ...

Andrew

Andrew said...

Omar

Should have said 'yet are NOW trying' in the penultimate paragraph above ... as their position has clearly changed since supporting the contracts via that addendum.

Thanks again for checking the blog!

Andrew

Anonymous said...

Good Morning Andrew, Well the SNP may well have wobbled over the Trams and although i am not in favour of them (Trams), i do hope they are a success for the city.

Andrew said...

Omar

Thanks - on that we can agree :-)

Andrew