LABOUR PROVOST UNLEASHES FOUL-MOUTHED OUTBURST OVER 150 MILE KILT JAUNT

LABOUR PROVOST UNLEASHES FOUL-MOUTHED OUTBURST OVER 150 MILE KILT JAUNT

The SNP has expressed concern about the refusal of Midlothian Council's
Labour Lord Provost to answer legitimate questions about his use of council
resources. In response to questions about a 150 mile round trip to
Kilmarnock to buy a kilt, which he claimed on expenses, Lord Provost Adam
Montgomery said that he had "**** all" to answer for.

Confronted with the charge that the trip was excessive, Provost Montgomery
responded:

"Have a look at what other Lord Provosts get and you will see that I am
the lowest paid so I've got **** all to explain to the SNP group, and you
can quote me on every word of that."

Commenting, the SNP's candidate for Midlothian, Cllr Colin Beattie said:

"This kind of rudeness in response to a perfectly reasonable question
about the use of council expenses is not only unwarranted, to say the
least, it is also very arrogant. What makes Provost Montgomery think that
he is above scrutiny of his use of Midlothian council tax-payers' money?

"Provost Montgomery may think that is justifiable to charge the public
purse for a trip to Kilmarnock to buy a kilt in the Kilmarnock FC tartan,
but I'm not sure that many people in Midlothian would agree with him. Why
couldn't he use a kiltmaker from the local area, and wouldn't it be more
appropriate for the official public representative of Midlothian Council to
use the Midlothian tartan?

"His arrogant and foul-mouthed refusal to answer these questions is an
indication of Midlothian Labour's increasingly cavalier attitude about the
use of public money and their disdain for legitimate democratic scrutiny by
the SNP.

"Provost Montgomery cannot hide behind rants and insults. People in
Midlothian deserve answers."