TORY Annie Wells has blamed SNP councillors for sectarian riots in Glasgow last week.
During First Minister’s Questions, the MSP asked why Susan Aitken had allowed a republican march to go through Govan on an Old Firm weekend.
Nicola Sturgeon hit out a Wells, accusing her of trying to turn “a serious issue into a party-political bun fight”.
A council source said Wells was “playing to sectarianized agendas”.
Riot police called out last Friday after hundreds of loyalist protesters clashed with an Irish unity march.
The James Connolly Flute Band was met by hundreds of loyalist counter demonstrators causing what police described as “significant disorder”.
Two more Republican marches will go ahead tomorrow after the council decided, following discussions with police, not to overturn the decision to permit the parades.
Earlier this week, the leader of one of the Irish Republican groups behind the march had his car torched in Glasgow’s East End.
In Holyrood, yesterday Wells asked Sturgeon: “How on earth did an Scottish National Party Glasgow City Council leader think it was a good idea to let a republican march go through Govan on an old firm weekend?
“Anyone in Glasgow could have told her that that was a bad idea.
“Everyone here condemns the unacceptable behaviour that shamed our city last week. Does the First Minister think that Susan Aitken was right to let that march go ahead?”
Sturgeon told Wells: “I think that a really bad idea—probably the worst idea of all in this context—is to try to turn such a serious issue into a party-political bun fight in the way that Annie Wells has done.
“ I say to her in all seriousness that she should reflect very carefully on the content and tone of the question that she has just asked. I suggest to the interim leader of the Scottish Conservatives that he might want to do likewise.
“This is not a party-political issue; it is a long-standing and challenging issue, but we are determined to eradicate it.
“First and foremost, the people who are responsible for the outrageous and unacceptable scenes on the streets of Govan last Friday night are the people who behaved in an unacceptable, violent and sectarian way.”
Sturgeon said the council operated within the law .
“It takes the decisions that it is advised are the right ones to take,” she said.
The First Minister added that the government were currently having discussions with Glasgow City Council to see if “changes to the law might be required”.
She continued: “We will continue to invest heavily in projects and initiatives to tackle sectarianism. In this chamber, we opposed the repeal of the legislation that was trying to deal with the issue at football matches. I regret the fact that Opposition parties repealed that legislation, but Parliament took its decision.
“Above all, we will listen and talk to anybody in considering how we deal effectively with a societal problem that has no place in modern Scotland. It is a scourge in our society. Politicians who are serious about tackling the problem will come together, so that we speak with one voice and do not engage in the tactics that Annie Wells has disgracefully used.
A source close to Susan Aitken accused Wells of “crude, inflammatory point-scoring.”
“The responsibility displayed by Glaswegian politicians over the decades in steering clear of playing to sectarianized agendas is being rapidly eroded by Ms Wells and some of her colleagues.
“She understands fine well the quasi-judicial and cross-party make-up of the council’s public processions committee and the requirements to take on board the views of police. At no point did Police Scotland raise issues over Friday’s timing and location.
“But Ms Wells ignores this so she can personalise and politicise. Why is she excusing the behaviour of those involved by pointing fingers elsewhere?
“The police and city councillors have difficult balances to strike, which isn’t helped by crude, inflammatory point-scoring. And the communities of Glasgow certainly don’t benefit from it.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel