Former Edinburgh Council leader Adam McVey seems to have forgotten his own shameful and undemocratic silencing of debate – John McLellan

I’m sure you, dear reader, won’t remember what went on at the City Council’s policy and resources committee in March, and judging by his recent outburst neither does our former Dear Leader, Adam McVey.

Adam McVey caused controversy when he muted the microphones of Conservative councillors during his spell as council leader

After the shenanigans at last week’s transport committee when the Labour convener Scott Arthur discovered his inner Stalin and ordered the webcast to be switched off because he didn’t like the way a discussion was going, Councillor McVey described it on Twitter as "Arrogant. Undemocratic. Shameful.”

Quite so, but his claim that it "has literally never happened before in our council” shows what a short memory he has. OK, so when he was in the hot seat at the same committee he didn’t actually switch off the video because in a virtual meeting he would have been left talking to himself, but at least the public could see him being "Arrogant. Undemocratic. Shameful” in muting Conservative councillors he didn’t want to hear.

First, he cut off Councillor Jim Campbell who was asking about the guillotining of a debate about illegality and maladministration in the council’s secure units because, said Councillor McVey, “it wasn’t a real question”.

Like some Mafia Capo, Councillor McVey complained Councillor Campbell wasn’t showing him respect, and when Conservative group leader Iain Whyte protested, he too was silenced. And then again.

Pot. Kettle. Black. If, as Councillor McVey claimed last week, Councillor Arthur has set a new low for Edinburgh, it’s not that far below the level to which he took it. Total. Clowns. The. Pair. Of. Them.