SNP leader Adam McVey tried to do a deal with the Tories to stay in power – John McLellan

SNP leader Adam McVey (Picture: Lisa Ferguson) Newly restored Burns statue reinstated in Leith as nation celebrates Scotland’s bard An event will be held to mark the reinstatement of the 124-year old bronze statue, which was removed in 2019 to allow for Trams to Newhaven works. Elected members, conservationists and project team directors will hear a reading by former Edinburgh Makar Alan Spence of poems specially written for a time capsule placed under the statue,. This includes his own poem, Interesting Times. ouncil Leader, Adam McVey; Depute Leader, Cammy Day; Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Macinnes; Transport and Environment Vice Convener, Councillor Karen Doran; City of Edinburgh Archaeologist, John Lawson; Conservationist Nic Boyes; former Edinburgh Makar Alan Spence. LATEST NEWS: Newly restored Burns statue unveiled in Leith Leith’s iconic Burns statue has been returned to its home on Bernard Street, as Scotland prepares to celebrate the national bard. The 19th century bronze sculpture was put into storage in December 2019 to make way for Trams to Newhaven construction. It has since undergone specialist conservation work before its reinstatement at Bernard Street’s junction with Constitution Street. On the morning of Burns Night (Tuesday, 25 January), Council leaders, tram project officers and contractors were joined by conservationists and former Edinburgh Makar Alan Spence to officially unveil the monument. They also marked the placement of a new time capsule underneath the statue, alongside an original capsule discovered in 2019, which contained relics from both the late 19th century and the 1960s.

“The Lib Dem leader begged colleagues to put the Tories into power to block the SNP,” he claimed. “We won’t sign up to anything delivering power to the Tories,” he went on.

But what about Councillor McVey’s begging when he met my erstwhile Conservative colleagues to ask what he needed to do to get them to “sit on their hands” during the crucial vote which could have put an SNP-Green coalition in control?

A deal was possible, he said, because of departures from the Conservative group, presumably including yours truly, because his loathing of me was no secret.

He offered to make a Conservative councillor the Deputy Lord Provost, a purely ceremonial role, but that Cllr Jo Mowat could also continue as convener of the governance committee, a key audit function traditionally filled from the biggest opposition party.

Councillor McVey was therefore offering a deal which an honourable leader would have ruled out. I’m also told he also proposed a pay rise for senior councillors. Green councillors piled in too, which might surprise their new holier-than-the-Pope virtue-signallers.

I’ll paraphrase his words: Councillor McVey begged the Conservatives to block Labour and the Lib Dems and was prepared to give a Conservative a powerful committee post so he could cling on.

He says the administration should “start being honest about their deal.” So should he about his.