ABERDEENSHIRE councillor Sebastian Leslie, the father of Game of Thrones star Rose Leslie, has been suspended by the Tories for non-payment of council tax – but he said he was simply making a point about SNP justice policy.
Leslie's council tax was already known to be thousands of pounds in arrears, but disciplinary action has now been taken – with his backing.
Defending his decision to rack up the tax debt, Leslie told the Press and Journal: “I understand why the party has taken this action – and I have no problem with this at all.
“I have been running a campaign against the degradation to the Scottish justice system of the SNP since I was elected and in order to raise publicity on this matter I have overstepped the mark and have gone slow on my council tax.
“I therefore accept that I need to be disciplined on that matter.
“I have submitted, some months ago, and my lawyers are in conversation with Aberdeenshire Council about releasing the full details of why I have run this campaign.
“Aberdeenshire Council have refused to release those details, which in my view should be released under the Freedom of Information Act.”
Although revealing that his battle had been ongoing for a decade, he did not comment further on exactly what that campaign was, or what it ultimately hoped to achieve.
The Aberdeenshire councillor will remain as an aligned independent, meaning the council's administration will not be altered.
Leslie has attended only 12 of a possible 26 council meetings since being elected in May last year.
A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said Leslie was being investigated for bringing the party into disrepute.
He added: “Councillor Leslie is currently subject to a disciplinary investigation. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
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