When it comes to Lib Dems there’s no place like home - John McLellan

Louise Spence's councillor career was short-lived

As has been widely reported, the “local councillor who lives here”, Louise Spence, experienced a “sudden change in personal circumstances”, so sudden her house went on the market the day after the election.

It has also been revealed that her home’s energy performance certificate needed for the sale was dated November 11, three days before the election.

It also appears that while she might have owned the house in Colinton, it has been rented out, so perhaps she wasn’t quite as local as was being made out, and her party had the electorate believe.

Whatever her definition of sudden may be, it is highly unlikely she was not aware the whole basis of her campaign was fatally undermined, possibly from the start.

And let’s not forget this campaign entailed denigrating the sitting Conservative councillor, Jason Rust ─ someone who has served the ward assiduously for 20 years ─ for having the outrageous affront to live in Stockbridge. The Conservative councillor lives here, said her leaflets, pointing to Stockbridge, on a map also indicating her home was in the ward.

Of course, it didn’t point out the Conservative candidate, Neil Cuthbert, also lived in the ward. But, hey, politics is a dirty game.

That being the case, it is now fair game to point out which of the sitting Lib Dem councillors aren’t true “local champions” because they don’t live in the ward they serve. Those lovely local Lib Dem champs? Surely not?

But yes, Cllr Rust has written to Lib Dem leader Kevin Lang to ask if he represents his constituents effectively, given he is not resident in the Almond ward he represents.

And having made this election all about the personality of a candidate who, if I am being charitable to her colleagues-for-a-day, deceived her own party and the electorate, why should any voter believe the guff they will inevitably spout about their next choice to fight the re-run in January?

If I’m being uncharitable, the Lib Dem hierarchy knew her domestic circumstances were, shall we say, unclear, and it was likely she would be moving at some point in the near future. It’s possible someone was aware another by-election was probable, just that it wasn’t going to be soon and they might have been able to bluff it out for a few months.

But as luck would have it, SNP councillor Marco Biagi announced his resignation just after the result and it presented an opportunity for Ms Spence to quit immediately so there would not need to be two further by-elections in quick succession.

Now they can claim Ms Spence’s resignation will not cost the taxpayer anything because there is going to be a by-election anyway, the only difference being that not one but two councillors will be elected the same day.

As for Neil Cuthbert, this will be the third time in a row he will have contested the seat, so if the Lib Dems really want a local champion in the area, they should just not field another chancer and back him instead.