SNP group leader Adam McVey calls Conservative councillor a liar, then turns up at the Tories' Christmas party – John McLellan

Lies, damned lies, and statistics goes the old saying, but to that can be added egregious lies which, according to local SNP commissar Councillor Adam McVey, is what my former colleague Councillor Phil Doggart told at the last Edinburgh Council meeting.

Edinburgh Council's SNP group leader Adam McVey did try to do a deal with the Tory group, says John McLellan

Responding to an SNP move to have Conservative councillors Joanna Mowat and Jason Rust ousted from their licencing board positions, which come with a small fee, Councillor Doggart told the chamber that Councillor McVey had himself been offering the Conservative group deals so an SNP-Green coalition could take control. Egregious (shocking, for those of us not blessed with Councillor McVey’s command of English) porkies, said the SNP group leader, but perhaps wisely he didn’t specify what exactly the disgraceful untruths might have been.

It’s all very strange, because to my knowledge Councillor McVey did offer paid positions, promising Councillor Mowat she could remain as convener of the governance, risk and best value committee, the position she held in the previous council. I’m told he also proposed increasing group leaders’ special responsibility payments, so wherever the truth lies, it appears Councillor McVey might have been flashing public cash at the Conservative group to stave off his removal as city leader.

And indeed, readers might be surprised to learn that after effectively calling a Conservative councillor a liar, Councillor McVey went along to the Conservative group Christmas reception last Friday evening, along with SNP chums Kate Campbell and Danny Aston. Egregious hypocrisy? Never kissed a Tory? But seemingly happy to drink and deal with them to get what they want.