Sarwar asked to help block appointment of new Council Co-Leader
SNP MP Stephen Flynn has asked Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar to step in and urge his suspended colleagues in Aberdeen City Council to block Ryan Houghton replacing Douglas Lumsden.
Last updated 10th May 2021
The SNP are making moves to try and prevent Conservative Ryan Houghton becoming the new Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader.
It's already been agreed Houghton will replace Douglas Lumsden as head of the Tories in the city - after Lumsden was elected an MSP.
And on Thursday the Council will vote on if he will become Council Co-Leader.
The other side of the administration, made up of a independent group and nine suspended Labour Councillors, headed up by Jenny Laing, will need to vote in favour.
But SNP MP Stephen Flynn, among others, has called for Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour Leader, to step in.
It all stems from comments uncovered in 2019 - for which Houghton served a suspension from the party.
The offensive posts attributed to Mr Houghton on online forums were written years before they were discovered.
Flynn wrote in a letter to Sarwar:
“As you will be aware, Tory Councillor Ryan Houghton is set to be voted in as a Co-Leader of Aberdeen City Council following the election of Douglas Lumsden to the Scottish Parliament.
“To be clear, Mr Houghton will only be able to take on this role with the votes of your suspended Labour colleagues in Aberdeen.
“You have so far refused to condemn this alliance and you have even described the suspended Labour councillors as ‘colleagues’ who were the victims of a ‘political decision’.
“This despite the fact that the disgraced Labour and Tory administration remain reliant on the votes of convicted sex offender, Cllr Alan Donnelly, to retain power in the city.
“Given Aberdeen City Council now looks set to be co-led by a man who has made antisemitic, Islamophobic and homophobic remarks, I trust you will now seek to intervene and instruct your ‘colleagues’ to turn their backs on appointing Councillor Houghton as a Co-Leader of this great city.
“I have admired your work in the Scottish Parliament in the fight against all forms of racism and discrimination and you will know that actions speak louder than words.
“On that basis, I am sure you will agree that you cannot sit silent on this issue. Any failure to act will be an endorsement of the votes of your suspended colleagues in favour of this Tory Councillor.
“This announcement has caused uproar in Aberdeen and, given that the vote will take place this week, I expect an early response and even quicker action.”
In response Mr Houghton told Northsound:
'I spoke with Stephen Flynn for over half an hour on Saturday and not a word from him about his new found concerns. This is typical press release politics,"
The Councillor told us that he apologised for the comments at the time, and that they do not represent him as a person or politician now.
City Council Co-Leader Jenny Laing and Scottish Labour/Anas Sarwar have all been approached by Northsound for comment.