The leader of Angus Council unleashed an explosive foul-mouthed rant against opposition councillors.
Kirriemuir SNP councillor Iain Gaul took to Facebook to vent views on the stances of four elected members, using the word “s****” and speculating that former Angus Alliance leader Bob Myles could be made to feel and look an “eejit”.
The tirade follows the reignition of the Arbroath ‘superschool’ debate and also mentioned David Fairweather, Mark Salmond and Arbroath councillor Ewan Smith, who unexpectedly resigned from the SNP over the issue last week.
The post included: “It has been some week. Cllr Smith resigns and then all sorts of things start coming out of left field.
“Never attack when you have a point only when you think somebody is weakened.
“David Fairweather reckons team Angus is dead as does Bob Myles, strange that the team Angus critics are the ones that don’t want join in for the betterment of Angus.”
Mr Gaul went on to refer to a call from Mr Salmond to bring in a “rotating provost and a non administration member as depute leader”.
He wrote: “This from a guy who hardly ever turns up, I suspect his idea is more to do with team Salmond! Canny (sic) wait for mair s**** to start this week.”
After being contacted by The Courier, Mr Gaul said he stands by everything he posted.
He said: “Just because somebody attacks doesn’t mean you have to soft soap them because you are a councillor.
“Just because I’m a councillor doesn’t mean to say I’m not allowed to say what I really think. Maybe that’s what’s wrong people think it but they don’t want to say it.”
Last week Mr Myles claimed he had been vindicated on the Alliance’s failed proposal to build an £8 million school in Arbroath, which was eventually thrown out by the Scottish Government prior to the SNP gaining control of Angus in May’s local elections.
His comments followed the council’s decision to include an almost identical option in a report to be considered by the education committee on Thursday.
Mr Myles said of Mr Gaul’s online comments: “It is a rant and I don’t normally respond to rants, but I’m disappointed that Councillor Gaul has chosen to respond in this way. These comments don’t befit the leader of Angus Council.”
Mr Fairweather said: “Iain Gaul could have come to speak to myself or Bob Myles instead of posting this on Facebook and I think it demeans him as leader.”
Mr Smith said: “I have no regrets whatsoever in my decision to resign from the SNP group and fully stand by the reasons cited for my departure.”
Mr Salmond said: “I think it was unprofessional to use that kind of language against colleagues.”