Angus Council’s Twitter-gate row over “second class Scots” has triggered the prospect of a no confidence motion against the district’s civic figurehead.
Furious independent members on the rural authority said they would be seeking to call a special meeting calling Provost Helen Oswald’s running of council business into question after she silenced a bid to debate a controversial referendum tweet made by Montrose SNP councillor Bill Duff.
Mr Duff came under fire from No campaigners after a June Twitter exchange with a political blogger in which he suggested those who vote against independence next month were content to be “second class Scots”.
Mr Duff’s refusal to back down over a row he described as a “storm in a teacup” led to non-administration members on Angus Council requisitioning a special meeting in Forfar today.
However, a motion placed before the meeting condemning the Twitter comment was deemed not competent by Provost Oswald.
Following the ruling, Arbroath independent councillor David Fairweather said it was now intended to bring forward a motion of no confidence in the provost.
The SNP leadership said the non-administration members behind the move should have been ashamed of attempting to convene a “kangaroo court” against Mr Duff.
For full details of the row which has torn ‘Team Angus’ apart, read Wednesday’s Angus edition of The Courier.