Press Release
27th January 2003
Anonymous Accusations
"Scaremongering" – McNeil
MSP for Greenock & Inverclyde,
Duncan McNeil, has dismissed as "scaremongering"
anonymous accusations that he voted in the Scottish Parliament to
close Greenock Fire Station.
Mr McNeil was shocked when constituents contacted him to say that anonymous leaflets had been posted through their doors claiming he voted for the station’s closure.
"I am more than happy to assure the people of Greenock and Inverclyde that I did no such thing," he told the Telegraph today.
"Although I cannot be certain, my best assumption is that these leaflets are referring to a vote which took place on an amendment during Stage 3 of the Local Government in Scotland Bill. During that debate, the Executive introduced an amendment to repeal Section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947. In effect, this would have removed the requirement for Ministers to approve what are now regarded as operational decisions properly under the direct control of Chief Fire Officers and their locally accountable Fire Boards. This would have brought the fire service broadly into line with other local services, which are dealt with at a local level.
"In voting in favour of this proposal, I was not voting to weaken the accountability of the Fire Authority to our community, I was voting to strengthen it. I was voting to free up Local Authorities and Fire Boards to do what they believe is correct at a local level. I was voting to make decisions on local fire cover more responsive to local needs.
"I can categorically assure the people of Greenock and Inverclyde that this proposal would not have reduced the ability of our community to engage in decisions about the future of the fire service in Inverclyde. Fire Boards already consult widely with their local community before proposing changes to service provision and that local accountability – which is at the heart of a local service like the Fire Service – will remain.
"Any claim that backing this amendment was a vote to close certain fire stations is, therefore, a deliberate misrepresentation. Indeed, the fact that the leaflet’s publishers were not prepared to put their name to it speaks volumes about their confidence in the truth of their own claims."
Mr McNeil went on to reveal that he is the not the only MSP to be targeted in this way.
"A number of colleagues in various parts of the country have also been misrepresented by suspiciously similar material," he said.
"The fact that this appears to be a Strathclyde-wide campaign further undermines the suggestion that Greenock Fire Station is somehow being singled out. Indeed, if these anonymous leaflets are to be believed, just about every fire station from here to Airdrie would be earmarked for closure.
"This, of course, would be
preposterous and exposes, as if it was needed, the baseless
nature of this misinformation campaign."
ENDS
Back to Current Press Releases
[ HOME ] [ News ] [ Articles ] [ Calendar ] [ Contacts ] [ Links ] [ E-Mail ]
[ Copyright ] [ UK Online ] [ Scottish Parliament ]