Amanda Kopel has been left “appalled” after SNP councillors in Falkirk voted against Frank’s Law — and blamed nuclear weapons.
The exchange happened after Falkirk Council’s SNP members went against a Labour group motion to ask the Scottish Government to back Frank’s Law.
SNP councillor David Alexander tabled an amendment which asked the council to note “the real health benefits provided by the Scottish Government to mitigate the impact of Tory austerity policies”.
The amendment asked the council to agree to declare that “given the choice of quality healthcare or weapons of mass destruction, this council urges the cancellation of the £200 billion renewal of Trident Nuclear Weapons system”.
However, they eventually removed the paragraph on weapons of mass destruction after suffering “endless ridicule in the chamber”.
The motion to back Frank’s Law and write to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was passed despite SNP members all voting with the amendment.
Mrs Kopel said: “Never ever did I think when Frankie and I began the campaign back in 2013, would any of us have imagined that the words Frank’s Law and Trident would have been mentioned in the same sentence.
“I’m appalled and extremely disappointed at the SNP councillors voting against such an important issue which affects every person under the age of 65 in Scotland.
“Are they actually putting the removal of Trident before the healthcare of the people of Scotland, whose lives are depending on Frank’s Law being delivered?
“Both are extremely important issues but certainly should not be compared with each other.
“It’s okay to follow the party lines, but when it comes to being told how to vote, democracy has gone right out the window.
“It is an extremely sad day for Scotland when it has come to this.”
Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross, Aberdeenshire and Falkirk councils have all now agreed to write to Nicola Sturgeon supporting Frank’s Law.
Labour councillor Dennis Goldie brought the motion forward in Falkirk which is where Mrs Kopel and her husband Frank grew up and first met.
Frank, who was part of Dundee United’s great team of the 1970s and 1980s, was just 59 when he was told that he had dementia in 2009.
Because he was under 65, he was unable to qualify for free personal care.
The Kopel family struggled on for six years, paying vast amounts of money – around £300 a week – to ensure Frank got the care he needed at home.
He reached the qualifying age for free services 19 days before his death in April 2014.
Since Frank’s diagnosis, Mrs Kopel, 66, has campaigned tirelessly for Frank’s Law – a law which would extend free care to under-65s with dementia.
The Courier has given its backing to the campaign.
Dundee Labour group leader Kevin Keenan said: “The Scottish Government has responsibility for health and indeed has new devolved powers.
“The SNP in Falkirk need to look to deliver to those in need and refrain from playing politics with such a sensitive matter, as usual, blaming Westminster for everything.”
