SNP council leader Adam McVey still won't defend SNP councillor Alison Dickie over 'Miss Marple' jibe by depute leader Cammy Day – Steve Cardownie

Last week I wrote about the cheap jibe made by Councillor Cammy Day when he likened Councillor Alison Dickie to “Miss Marple” because she had raised serious questions about an alleged insidious culture that may exist within the city council.

Councillor Alison Dickie has raised concerns about a string of allegations made to her concerning abuse, bullying, harassment and more (Picture: Lloyd Smith)

Her determination to get to the bottom of the many allegations that had been made to her did not find favour with some officials and, it would appear, the council leadership.

I would suggest that the majority of councillors in the City Chambers believe that she did nothing wrong when she aired her concerns on the pages of this newspaper. Concerns which may have some substance given the contents of a report presented to the council last week by Susanne Tanner QC.

It was against this background that Councillor Joanna Mowat tabled a question to the council leader at last week’s full council meeting.

The first part read: “Will the council leader distance himself from the comments of the council depute leader at council on 23 September 2021 when the depute leader made clearly disparaging remarks about a fellow senior member of the leader’s group, and the vice-convener of the education, children and families committee, comparing her work on behalf of constituents to ‘Miss Marple’ in a pejorative way?”

His answer? “I would note that Councillor Mowat is drawing a conclusion from remarks made by the depute leader that only he can clarify and would suggest that Cllr Mowat follows this up with him.”

It would appear from this answer that other considerations take precedence over defending members his group!

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