LABOUR BLOCKS DEBATE ON ORGANISED CRIME IN GLASGOW

LABOUR BLOCKS DEBATE ON ORGANISED CRIME IN GLASGOW

GLASGOW SNP CALLS FOR MOTION TO BE RESTORED TO AGENDA

Glasgow SNP Council group has condemned a move by the the Labour Lord Provost of Glasgow City Council to refuse a debate on a motion about organised crime in the city.

Commenting on the move the Leader of the Council's Opposition, SNP Councillor James Dornan said:

“The decision by the Lord Provost is as puzzling as it is disappointing. It is a decision which the Glasgow SNP group find unacceptable.

“By refusing to debate serious organised crime in Glasgow he is complicit in a real loss of democracy in Glasgow. If the Council is not permitted to discuss a matter of the utmost relevance to all those Glaswegians affected by serious crime then why are we here in the City Chambers at all?

“I will be raising this issue with the Lord Provost at today’s meeting and urge him to reconsider his decision”.

SNP Councillor Billy McAllister, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and proposer of the motion, said:

“The decision to stop a debate on the major issue of organised crime - which affects people across the city, but particularly in the north of Glasgow - is a travesty. If Labour in Glasgow won’t even talk about the issue of crime in the city chambers how can they be trusted to deal with problem?

“This is the second meeting in recent months where procedure has been used to hide from this issue. Rest assured, the SNP Group will not shirk the difficult issues that blight so many people in Glasgow”.