Journalistic Freedom Trumped with Aid of Grampian Police

He may have his own reality TV show in the States but Donald Trump's manager at the Menie estate has been using police resources to stop scrutiny of his actions.

Two documentary film makers had been arrested and their equipment seized for five days when they were investigating claims that Trump's contractors had cut off the water supply to the local residents, including fierce critic of the project Michael Forbes. Although Paul O'Connor, Trumps manager agreed to be interviewed freely and no documents were filmed. The two, Anthony Baxter and Richard Phinney, were arrested, DNA sampled and detained for four hours after the Trump organisation accused them of accessing their offices and filming documents without permission.

Paul Holleran, the NUJ's regional organiser in Scotland said:

"This is a blatant example of police interference aimed at stopping bona fide journalists from doing their job. Their footage shows they were asking very pertinent questions in a mannerly fashion as befits professional journalists. I believe this is a breach of human rights, and we are taking legal advice. I think this must be one of the first cases in this country of journalists being arrested for just carrying out interviews to establish the truth and hold people to account."

George Soriel, Trump's senior representative who you may recognise from The Apprentice, however said:

"I think it's entirely appropriate to call the police. We have a very good relationship with all the media. We genuinely have an open-door policy [but] it's not acceptable to have two people burst into an office unannounced."

An open-door policy! Looking at some of the past incidents regarding this development you have to wonder. Maybe it is just the cat flap that is open to those with the right electronic tag.

As it was the two were arrested while interviewing local resident Susie Monro, being asked to turn off the camera while carrying out an on camera interview by Grampian Police. Going about your journalistic duty to gather both sides of the story from willing participants appears to be a crime as far as Donald Trump is concerned. Of course the 5 day retention of equipment made this no longer a news story.

I Have a Second Plot

At the start of 2009 I like many others acquired a plot of land near Heathrow Airport. At the recent general election the reason for us acquiring that plot suceeded, there is to be no third runway going over our little plot.

Therefore today I heard that another cause that has been close to my heart is also splitting up a plot. So I became 'one of Menie' (many) in putting my name to The Bunker that Donald Trump doesn't want to have as a hazard in his way to his golf course. Indeed it is a plot of land that his project cannot go ahead without access to.

Yeah this is one plot of land that essential to Donald Trump ripping up and controlling the greatest dune system in Scotland and affecting an area of special scientific interest.

No doubt Ruariadh Dobson will continue to say that I am "dead wrong", but at least I'm being consistant.

Trump Gains Right to Stabilise Nature

The European Policy for Coastal Dunes states:

"Management towards dynamic dunes should be promoted. A dynamic dune system is more resistant to erosion processes, is cheaper to maintain, has higher natural values and is more sustainable than fixated dunes."

Later today however work begins to stabilise part of the fifth largest dune system in the UK (pictured) after a decision by the Formantine area committee to give the green light to work to go ahead to stabilise them. When Donald Trump first saw the Menie Estate he thought:

"As soon as I saw it there was no question about it. I looked at 211 fantastic sites all over Europe, but here it is - the dune size and the ocean front. There is no piece of land that I have ever seen that is comparable to this."

Sadly soon not even Balmedie will be comparable with what he first saw. The prime example of a dynamic dune system cited after the above quote from EU policy is the Slowinski National Park in Poland (pictured right) which has had a dynamic dune system for thousands of years.

The Balmedie Dune system stretches for 14 miles and Trump's golf complex along 2.5 miles of that length will seriously affect the eco systems of the other, by removing the dynamacism of the dune system. It may even led to serious erosion and dame to the system in other locales. While the EU is aware of the need to protect dunes, the fact that from today work will start to lead to the loss of one of the few remaining dynamic dune systems in the EU is a sad day.

Aberdeenshire Council in Cahoots with Trump

Is it any wonder that Aberdeenshire Council have not been taken action to protect local residents from the threat of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs)? As far back as April this year they have been preparing to help the billionaire property developer overcome the public outcry of such an action.

A letter from the council's senior planning officer Dr Christine Gore dated 7 April reads:

"In terms of public relations and management of the inevitable media interest, I would request that we be given at least a week’s notice of your intended submission date. Thereafter, close liaison will be required . . . in order that we can have a managed approach to what is inevitably going to be a difficult and emotive reaction."

So the council have for months been willing with Trump to pave the way for his use of compulsory purchase orders, rather that being neutral and yet to make a decision on the matter as recent events in chambers would have us believe.

The Glasgow based organisation spinwatch is accusing Aberdeenshire council of a "conflict of interests". Prof. David Miller professor of sociology at Strathclyde university and head of Spinwatch said of the discussions being discussed in this way three months before they became public:

"The question of probity and governance is raised by these documents. The council is supposed to protect the public interest, not the private interests of a major corporation. These documents suggest Aberdeenshire council is too close to the Trump Organisation."

The voters of Aberdeenshire Council deserve representatives that will look after their interests, but sadly appear to have a majority of their representatives that have fallen under th Trump spell, for whatever reason, and are ignoring those they are supposed to be representing.

This week work is expected to start on stabilising the dunes at Menie which could affect the area's site of special scientific interest (SSSI) status. RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) have both lodged objections, but with the council appearing to have been largely at the beck and call of the Manhattan Billionaire it is doubtful that the go ahead for work to start will be blocked on Tuesday.

Golf Week Says Trump Not Playing the Game

There is an article in this week's Golf Week (hattip to Two Doctors) which remonstrates Trump's two headed move into Scottish golf.

First they are very strong about the recent decision of Aberdeenshire Council not ruling out compulsory nature. While there is nothing in the Royal and Ancient's Rules of Golf condemning it Golf Week says:

"The prospect of four families being turned out of their homes for the sake of a golf course does not bear thinking about. I’m sure whole villages have been shifted in other parts of the world to make room for golf courses, but we’re supposed to be civilized over here. Imagine what the families feel like not knowing if they are going to continue living in their own home."

Yes we are supposed to be civilised. The Rules of Golf rely on the competitor marking his own score card. Being honest about a muffed hit if it contacts the ball etc. the rules are very much gentlemanly. Trump may swing a club, but is he really playing the game in his approach to his Menie estate project.

Trump and his lawyers will be saying that they are scanning the full essence of the law, others will argue otherwise, however let's assume for a moment that they are. That may be the case but surely there is some room for the spirit of the laws and fair play as all golfers will tell you is as much part of the game as words in the little book in their bag.

But Trump will argue his he the saviour of the Aberdeenshire economy. This appears to be a line that many on Aberdeenshire Council and the Scottish Executive are taking as a written. Alistair Tait in Golf Week is prepared to stand up to the entrepreneur, better than many of his 'apprentices' and say that isn't necessarily so. He points to other Golf Leisure resorts including Open venue Turnberry where a recent £85 million investment from Leisurecorp is going to take a long time to recoup.

He goes on to say why an upstart should get going any better than an historic course like Turnberry, especially as the property developers mantra of location, location, location is somewhat against it. Turnberry down in Ayrshire has a longer season than Aberdeen, and longer late autumnal days as well.

But there are other financial reasons that Trump is facing, there are already a number of high-end golf resorts in Scotland. Many courses where you can spend £150 to play 18 holes, when they are many gems that are a lot cheaper to indulge in.

But then it goes on to the battle Trump has entered into at the home of golf St. Andrew's to try and acquire the old university residence of Hamilton 'Hammy' Hall. Townsfolk there are already upset that preferential tee times are being given to the wealthy patron of the Old Course Hotel and fear that the acquisition by Trump or Herb Kohler who owns the Old Course Hotel. However, there is a local hope in a consortium fronted by Richard Wax. The former course designer is concerned that another part of St. Andrews heritage would fall into the hands of only the wealthy elite, severing further the ancient message of accessibility for all. He says:

"The town’s core message is 'golf for all' but increasingly 'Private/Keep Out' signals are being generated to the detriment of the image of the town"

"Our project is conceived to regenerate the economic life of St. Andrews and Fife. It would bring quality business into town on a year-round basis for the benefit of hotels, bed and breakfasts and the commercial activity across the board."

We've yet to see how this second front of wealth seeping into golf turns out. But the fact that a top golfing publication is challenging the Trump project may well make the entrepreneur shank his opening drive out on the tee box this morning.

Lady Guillotine of CPOs Still Hangs Over Menie

So the threat of Compulsory Purchase Orders still hangs over those in the path of Donald Trump's. The four families whose homes are under threat from the American entrepreneur describe it as "intolerable psychological torture".

One representative of the four, David Milne, yesterday addressed a full meeting of Aberdeenshire saying:

"I don't know how many of you have even tried to imagine what it's like not knowing if your home will be your own for much longer – not knowing if the next birthday or Christmas will be the last in your own house," he said.

"It is a horrible situation to be in, not knowing if the people who are effectively your neighbours will throw you out.

"I ask you now to stand up – stand up for your own personal conscience, stand up for ethics, stand up for morals and stand up for the reputation of Aberdeenshire."

But thte decision was yet put off, yet again the desire of Trump himself seemed to outweigh the desire of the local residents to have an equivocal answer to this state of affairs sooner rather than later. Instead of an unequivocal resonating from the Council Chamber that CPOs would not be used to acquire Trump's desired land from landowners, an amendment described as a "cowardly fudge" was agreed by the majority.

As well as being described as cowardly those councillors who failed to vote for Martin Ford's motion were branded "Trump's puppets" by Martin Forbes whose home is also under threat.

Alex Massie in The Spectator comments following the 57 to 6 vote rejection of ruling out CPOs that:

"While it's good that the Council hasn't yet endorsed compulsory purchase orders, it's depressing that they remain on the table at all and one must fear that, when or if push comes to shove, the council will eventually approve them."

Which just about says it all really. The fact is the guillotine is still hanging hauntingly over the heads of local residents and their council is still able to release the catch.

Trump Reducing Ownership Rights to Superstition - David Hume

"Rules regulating property are absolutely necessary for the well-being of mankind. But remove the interests of society, and ownership rights would be reduced to forms of superstition."

David Hume from An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding: On Justice

So a date has been set for Aberdeenshire Council to decide on Donald's Trump to use Compulsory Purchase Orders for his own commercial gain, that date is October 1. It was one thing that I wasn't able to tell all those interested fellow Liberal Democrats while I was down at Bournemouth as I have only heard about the setting of the date today.

Due to refurbishment of the Council Chamber the actual decision on what is Martin Ford's motion calling on the Council not to allow CPOs is being held elsewhere. It will be in the Gordon Suite, AECC at 10.15am , Thursday 1st Oct.

Today was also the day that a group called the Menie Liberation Front also added masks of Donald Trump and children's golf clubs at some of Scotland's most iconic statues in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Sterling. Of all the possible images I've used the picture of David Hume as it is appropriate.

A spokesman for the protest group said:

"We are dressing up famous Scottish statues as the American tycoon to symbolise the way Trump thinks he can walk over Scotland.

"This development has gone too far. Throwing families from their homes for a private development is outrageous."

Trump's organisation branded the protest, in which no statues were damaged just one American's ego, or superego. Sarah Malone, executive vice president of Trump International Golf Links Scotland, said:

"This publicity stunt is perpetrated by a handful of individuals, and can only serve to tarnish our regional and national profile.

"Gimmicks such as this illustrate the lack of credibility of those involved and do a great disservice to local people.

"We are dealing with serious issues that need to be handled in a responsible and mature manner."

If the first bit of that about a tarnished Trump image I'd say good. Although it is already being tarnished by the immature and irresponsible manner that Trump is currently walking over local people, Scottish law, Aberdeenshire Council, aided and abetted by the SNP Government.

I'm sorry Ms. Malone while the protesters may indeed have merely been a handful the threatened erosion of ownership law is something that affects a great many more of us. The use of CPOs for commercial ends is wrong and everyone who stands against your organisation on this issue is right. This is a major issue and if Trump gets his way we truly will as David Hume said be reducing the rights to own the land were we all live to the level of superstition, not a binding contract.

Letters Against Commercial Compulsory Purchase Orders

The letter's page of the Scotsman today has two excellent contributions to the compulsory purchase order debate in Balmedie and Donald Trump's desire to use them.

First up we have this from William W Scott of North Berwick, East Lothian.

Compulsory purchase orders are needed to ensure projects for the public good, such as roads and railways, can be completed. I am sure when the enabling bill went through parliament it was never intended that it would be used to further the commercial interests of individuals such as Donald Trump.

A point I made back in July when I wrote about Trump's Aberdeenshire Clearances. Although I appear to have been corrected on my understanding of the clearances by this letter from Sue Edwards of Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire.

David Fiddimore wisely states that he sees no difference between Donald Trump's bullying and the actions of landowners who created the misery of the Highland Clearances (Letters, 4 September).

There is one big difference. The Duke of Sutherland owned the land upon which those poor people lived, Trump doesn't. There has been a huge tide of objection now that compulsory purchase has been put forward to enable him to acquire this land and people's homes and few people continue to support the development.

Councillors must realise that they face the risk of not being re-elected if they vote for compulsory purchase or abstain. If this goes through, none of us will be safe in our houses as it will set a terrible precedent.

Yeah that is true this isn't so much a clearance as a land grab. As she says there is a dangerous precedent to be had it the use of CPOs goes through for commercial gain, none of us will ever be safe in our houses. Our objections to planning will come to naught if a wealthy developer wants to make a grab he'll just point to Trump.

Hat tip to Debra Storr.

Willing Buyers, Willing Sellers

"Words are only postage stamps delivering the object for you to unwrap"

So said George Bernard Shaw. Apparently the four words used above, in the title, though they did come from the SNP's Cllr. Rob Merson's mouth this Tuesday during the Formartine Area Committee were not unwrapped correctly by a fellow Councillor. His email to Debra Storr posted here does seem to admit he did use those words:

"Debra, I did not use those words in the context in which you presented them."

Yet he objects to Debra using his own words said in a committee meeting on her blog without seemingly clarifying what he did mean when he said those words. Considering the meeting voted 9-2 for Donald Trump to be allowed to expand his golf course development at the Menie Estate unto the land of unwilling sellers makes his lack of clarification and objection to the words being made public all the more intriguing.

He says that the words were not in relation to Compulsory Purchase Orders being used to acquire the land in question. Yet with unwilling sellers, some of these home owners apparently having verbal agreements* that they would be good neighbours from Trump himself and 500 people signing a petition opposed to such powers being used. So just what did Cllr. Merson mean on Tuesday? Why now is he worried that 4 words which seem to an outsider clear in content, in light of the meeting reasonably clear in what context many would take them to mean?

If he has been misrepresented why has he refused an offer to represent himself more clearly? One does have to ask, has he been leaned on from above? We must not forget that it was Alex Salmond and John Swinney that led to calling in of the project for review at Holyrood when the initial planning meeting turned down the initial application. Having promised to enhance Scotland's economy they bent over when the tycoon threatened to take his ball elsewhere when the Rev. Dr. Ian Paisley came a-courting. Environmental concerns raised in the local community were overlooked, and now seemingly the community itself is to be overlooked.

So if Cllr. Merson said 'willing buyers, willing sellers' in the heat of the debate on Tuesday, just what did he mean by it? If it is not to do with the elephant in the corner of Aberdeenshire's Council Chamber (i.e. CPOs) just what is it in relation to?

*Trump may want to know that verbal contracts are legally binding in Scots Law.

You're Gagged

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war's desolation!

Like all National Anthems the Star Spangled Banner has more verses than the one commonly known, in this case song before any sporting or public event no matter what the level. But the lines above coming from the opening of the fourth verse are particularly poignant. Of course the recurring theme through the verses is, the land of the free.

America revels in its freedom, free speech, state free from religion, freedom to bear arms. It's history is full of periods and places were men have gone into the unknown to stake claims on land. Admittedly not all of that was totally unoccupied, the native Americans often suffered at the settlers hands. But now one of those Americans is taking freedom too far and the wrong way.

The American in question is Donald Trump. Last I looked he was not an elected representative in nay part of the UK. He may own some land over here but even then he would only have one vote, if he were to settle etc. However, his latest attempt to get his golf course development through planning is to attempt to ban the four most vocal opponents on Aberdeenshire Council banned from taking part in forthcoming decisions about the development and any use of compulsory purchase orders he is hoping to push through.

Yeah the man from the land of free is not elected to serve the people of Balmedie, where Trump owns the Menie Estate. Indeed George Sorial, the Trump executive running the project, has gone so far as to say:

"Enough is enough. The organisation will no longer tolerate their lack of respect for ethical standards. These scoundrels have to be stopped."

There are a lot of ethical questions that have been raised by this development. Although some where answered last week when the Standard Commission found that Debra Storr had not breached the Code of Conduct following Trump complaints. Compulsory purchase orders for a for profit development. Trying to apply English and Welsh trespass law over Scottish right to roam law. Trying to stop elected representatives from going about their constitutional rights to visit constituents or represent them over a matter that directly affects them. It sounds like the Trump Organisation want a Politburo in the council chamber to do what the supreme one with his floppy hair says no matter what the cost.

• The cost to an Area of Special Scientific Interest.
• The cost to the families, some of whom have lived there for generations.
• The cost to his own reputation.
• The cost to democracy itself.

Yes the cost to democracy itself. If our councils give in to one super rich landlord over his planning applications it sets a precedent. Where does it go from there? Then it will become the landlords who dictate things rather than those who are elected to represent the people. Last I looked we still lived in a representative democracy not some business related reality show where whatever the man behind desk said went.

Like many planning applications before him Trump was turned down when it was first presented. No matter what people, from Trump's Organisation, say it wasn't clear cut. However, Sarah Malone, executive vice-president for the Menie Estate development, says that the four councillors should be prevented from taking any further part because they have ' have not remained objective, which is their duty'.

I love the words that Paul Johnson comes up with to counter that claim to disbar him, Debra Storr, Sam Coull and Martin Ford, he says:

"If Mr Trump continues to complain about people, just because he doesn't like their views, he will be seen as vindictive and, indeed, ridiculous in the eyes of the public.

"It cuts both ways. Every councillor who has expressed support for the
development, on the basis that it is best thing since sliced bread, would also be debarred."

Which could leave a rather echoey council chamber if only those with no preset opinion were ever allowed to take a planning decision. Martin Ford adds:

"It is my duty to raise it and talk about and seek to get the issue addressed in a way that is proper and fair to residents."

For indeed it is the public duty of those elected to stand up for those in the area. To be the voice that is heard to voice their concerns. Trump may be able to trumpet on from his his very public profile but that is not the only voice that needs to be heard. This is a matter for moral judgement as Mike Rumbles MSP has said. If Trump has the lack of moral to bulldozer over democracy before he bulldozers his neighbours compulsory purchased houses he has lost any moral leg to stand on.

I'd say to Trump.

Enough is enough. The residents will no longer tolerate the Trump Organisations lack of respect for ethical standards. These scoundrels have to be stopped.

Trump's Aberdeenshire Clearances

Compulsory purchase orders are usually used by the Government or local authorities to acquire land that is required for transportation, education or health etc. The measures are not and should not be used for a private enterprise for a 'profit development' to get its way over private individuals.

Donald Trump has been saying all along that his Golf Resort development at the Menie Estate at Balmedie is meant to help the local community. Yet having failed to reach a negotiated settlement to encourage the neighbours to sell up he has applied for compulsory purchase orders. He really does think he can throw his weight around, but then he has already used influence to flaunt his way around UK planning procedure once already to get to this stage.

Martin Ford has placed a motion before Aberdeenshire Council which calls on them not to use compulsory purchase powers to force residents from their own homes on or adjacent to the Menie Estate. He adds:

"It must be very stressful for residents living with the anxiety caused by this threat to their homes. The council owes it to them to end the uncertainty.

"The other reason for tabling the notice of motion is to ensure the council discusses this matter in public.

"This decision is such a crucial one, concerning as it does basic rights important to us all, that it must be taken in public.

"A debate and vote in public will ensure that those directly affected by the decision can be present when it is taken, if they wish."

Some of the commenters on the Press and Journal article are likening Trump's approach to the Highland Clearances, a rich landlord is looking to forcibly more residents off his land and even that adjoining it to have his own way. He is seeking to use the full authority of the law to bring it to be, whilst claiming it is for the best of everyone.

Development director George Sorial while saying he was 'shocked and surprised' by Mr Ford’s motion added:

"Compulsory purchase powers are reserved for the council. It’s a process we would rather avoid. For him to take a position like this when we have a live application creates an extreme risk of prejudice."

Sadly by not ruling it out maybe people will understand just why the original planning committee was tied when discussing the application. There were issues of environment and local residents that were of concern. Martin Ford's casting vote was to look out for those varied concerns when they themselves could not come to a clear decision. The fall out has been great and the council still have not learnt the lesson to listen to the public opinion, too busy eying their corporate perks no doubt when the new links course is finally opened.

Trump to Challenge God on Shifting Sands

I know you don't get a lot of them in Manhatten and he is a very busy man which may have prevented him looking in a dictionary, but sure one his Apprentices could have looked up this.

Dune n. a ridge of sand created by the wind; found in deserts or near lakes and oceans. Dunes are capable of moving by the motion of their individual grains but usually keep the same shape.

What leads me to define something I grew up spending many happy summers playing in at Portrush or Portstewart. Well this blog post by my good friend Debra Storr about this open letter, so open in fact that the addressee, Debra, got it almost 6 hours after the members of the press. James at the Two Doctors has already done a pretty good dissection of the letter here so I won't bother doing that. However, I will look look at some other things that we have learnt about Donald Trump.

• He is more interested in his own publicity that dealing with the situation. I mean the letter is addressed to Debra Storr, yet she only got a direct copy from him 6 hours after the press. Now I know that the Internet doesn't go that significantly slower up in Balmedie, unless Debra in the past has been pre-empting my responses six hours in advance for chat conversations online.
• The greater public scrutiny than any other project in Scottish history allegedly had some of Trumps minions in the offices of a Holyrood minister while calling the planning application in. The original refusal had suggestions for a resubmission that would be looked upon more favourably by the committee, in most situations these are the customary and proper channels not going running to you golfing buddy who happens to the be the First Minister.
• Donald believes he can stabilise the Menie Dunes. So clearly once he has dealt with Debra he expects to take on he Lord God Almighty. Taking him up on a charge of shifting sands while his back is turned.

Personally I think God has nothing to fear from a writ from Trump Tower for a while set, Donald has to get around the indomitable Debra first, plus a fair larger amount of public support than he is prepared to acknowledge.

The only embarrassment in all this is how Donald Trump chooses to operate his business operations. For doing things the way he has been doing he deserves to be fired.

Latest Shenanigans in Aberdeenshire

The latest Shenanigans in the Aberdeenshire post-Trumpgate witch hunt is a motion to exclude a representative of the Demoratic Independent Group (Paul Johnstone, Debra Storr, Martin Ford and Sam Coull) from the group leaders' meetings.

Mark Cullen one of the Independent councillors (who ironically band together and have a representative in those meetings) has pointed out the double standards in doing so. While the current motion harks back to an informal agreement in 1995, disbarring groups with less than 10% from attending, between 2003 and 2007 the Independents with only 3 representatives had a representative.

Cullen has said that "personal views seems to have clouded the judgement". From what I have observed those far person views seem to have caused most of the fall out on this issue and the Lib Dem group seem to have been caught up on this and reacted from personal opinion rather than any principles on democracy or liberalism. I know there are a few appeals and decisions outstanding before the Scottish party executive and I trust that these will not be clouded by personal views but will be made in sound judgement.

Trumpgate is a Carbuncle

Well it hasn't even started yet. It has had political fallout of all sorts but it is some pride that I'd like to inform you that Donald Trump's Golf Resort has been awarded the Carbuncle for "the Worst Planning Decision".

The judges awarded it when they condemned the decision to "rip up" planning rules to allow the scheme to go ahead. So it appears that Martin Ford, Paul Johnstone, Debra Storr and Sam Coull have made a stand which is backed by others. It is the principle that this was steamrollered out of the hands of the local planning authorities who had reservations, made recommendations and offered a opportunity for a resubmission that clearly stands out in this category.

The fact that a spokesman for Trump has braded the decision a "joke" shows how little regard the Trump organisation has for the law of the land and local people.

On the matter of "Plook on the Plinth" I'll stand beside Tricia Marwick, SNP MSP for Central Fife, just as I did at the by election count who said:

"I am sick to death of people doing down Glenrothes. I fully agree that we
need more civic space in Glenrothes. However, the problem, as we all know, is
that the Kingdom Shopping Centre and the area surrounding it is privately owned
thanks to decisions taken by previous administrations.

"This has left us with virtually no civic space and a town centre
surrounded by roads."

There are elements of Glenrothes that do stand out as quite the opposite. As do the network of paths for pesestrians and cyclists which are similar to those in Livingston. There are sadly some rather dour parts of town. But I've seen and even campaigned in many other such areas across Scotland over recent years.

How to Lose Friends and Budget Negotiations

It appears that there is a stubborn mule at the SNP side of the desk regarding getting its budget through the key 3rd stage today. Even the Greens who were applauded by many, including me here, for seeming to have reached an agreement for free insulation in return for their votes are saying they will vote against.



With both Labour and the Lib Dems threatening to vote against as the minority government is not prepared to give way to any party, even the Conservatives have said they have received "nothing concrete", it looks like the honeymoon may be over. So the SNP having tried the calling a new election card with last years budget, although as they need a 2/3 vote of the Parliament to call it, Labour no that such a bluff would require their support.



Indeed last night ministers were daring opposition MSP to vote down the budget, claiming that it was "designed to take account of hard times in the current economy". Although as I pointed out earlier this is at less than a 1% shift in the spending laid out in 2007 the smallest change in the face of the current crisis of any national or devolved government in the West.

The vote may crucially rely on Margot Macdonald, who like the Tories is not happy with the lengths that the SNP have gone, but may be persuaded to vote for the budget. It could leave the vote balanced at 64-64 leaving the Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson to use his casting vote.

Mr Fergusson has already indicated that should the vote be tied he would have to vote for the status quo and against the Budget Bill. The irony of such a casting vote being used for the status quo is not lost on a Liberal Democrat in light of the Trumpgate affair in Aberdeenshire. Especially after the scorn levelled by the SNP on Martin Ford for using his casting vote in just such as way as precedence indicates it should.

The Trumpgate Gang of Four

A new Gang of Four has emerged out of the shocking happenings within the Liberal Democrat group on Aberdeenshire Council

There was another heated meeting of the Council yesterday relating to Donald Trump's golf resort.. This time it was the turn of Paul Johnston to face the ire of his fellow liberal democrats [sic]*.



Cllr Johnston was cleared earlier this month by the Standards Commission. However, it was the support of fellow councillor Debra Storr at the Council meeting on 2 October, 2007. Her claim in defence of Paul that he should be considered innocent until proven otherwise. Led to her being expelled by the Lib Dem council group. However, she appears to have been proven one of the few wise heads in the chamber that day.



Three different proposals were before the council.

• Martin Ford, he who used to chair the planning committee before his casting vote blocked the American tycoon's plans, proposed that a note be appended to the October 2nd minutes that Cllr Johnston has been exonerated.


• Anne Robertson the Liberal Democrat group leader proposed ding nothing citing that taking and action was too difficult.


• The SNP proposed that the decision by the Standards Commission was irrelevant and called for him to be suspended for 6 months.

The Lib Dem group proposal was the one that was finally passed although the Director of Law and Administration in answer to a question said that it was perfectly easy to do what Martin asked. The director saw no issue on doing this on website, in library versions and to all locations where Minutes were regularly sent out. Ford confirmed this best try was OK with him.

The fact that the SNP were actually seeking the suspension of an elected representative who had been cleared by the Standards committee shows a different shocking opinion of democracy. Neither the Lib Dem nor SNP Group come out of this incident in a good light.

Today three of the Lib Dem group Ford, Johnston and Sam Coull left the ruling administration, to join the already expelled Debra Storr to form a new grouping within the council. I now leaves things finely balanced with 34 in the lib dem/Conservative bloc and 34 others including the 4 Liberal Democrats, SNP and independents on the same number.

*I'm deliberately using lower case for the party name in this case.

Expelled Councillor to Seek Appeal

Cllr Debra Storr who was expelled from the Aberdeenshire Council Lib Dem Group after what she claims was a witch hunt is seeking to appeal that decision. She has written to the Scottish Party President Malcolm Bruce asking for the case to be reviewed by the party's internal appeal process.

However, this does require agreement from the group that has expelled her. The leader of the Group, Anne Robertson has already said that she did not think there was any merit in "continued dialogue" of matters no connected to the council's future aims adding:

"The Liberal Democrat administration would prefer to turn attention to major
policies and initiatives being brought forward."

It therefore looks unlikely that such agreement will be made but as Debra said:

"If the council group leadership are confident in the probity of their decision,
then they have nothing to fear."

Martin Ford who's casting vote led to the overturning of the original Trump proposal at local level has withdrawn from the Council Group meetings in support of Debra. A move that may also lead to his own eventual expulsion from the group.

I notice there is a very uninformed correspondent in these week's Press and Journal who maybe should read Debra's precognition summary of the application to show that there always were alternatives to Trump's plans.

Sad Day

Today I read the sad news that my friend and fellow former Lib Dem campaigner and colleague Debra Storr has quit the party group on Aberdeenshire Council due the illiberal attitude of colleagues (???can I still call them that). Her crime was too look at the local issues affecting the Trump application and base her judgement on that, along with three other colleagues including David* Martin Ford the former chair of the planning committee who voted against it.

I did meet up with Debra at conference and had a conversation with her about how things were going. Then she told me that the party were planing to exclude her and her fellow no voters from the party, the meeting over Debra happened on Monday night, a meeting at which she was unable to attend, nor was she informed of the outcome.

It is a sad day that someone with such strong liberal and green credentials who stood up for many of the same fundamental values as myself has been treated in this way my members of the party I belong to. Where are their liberal and democratic principles?

* Must not mix up my Alliance Party Leaders and Aberdeenshire Councillors.

Trump Tweak too Tame

All along the issue regarding the initial rejection of Donald Trump's golf resort in Aberdeenshire wasn't about the foreign investment, wasn't to prevent job creation it was about the environmental impact.

When the initial casting vote of Martin Ford went with the status quo thus rejecting development it was only under the plans presented at that time. All planning applications have to viewed on what is present not supposition of what may be done. Indeed immediately following that initial rejection and before the escalation of the whole Trumpgate scenario the planning committee had said they would reconsider it if substantive environmental concerns were taken on board by the American developer's team.

Well after Trump blasted around, attacking everyone left, right and centre he has updated his plans, although only slightly. The damage to the sand dune area which is designated a site of special scientific interest has been lessened, but not sufficiently say the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) who say this area should and can be left unharmed.

This may be a last minute tweak to try an appease the environmentalist and have been recommended by the SNP to show that there is a little give from Trump's side ahead of the review of the called in plans. However, as this is now taken out of the hands of the local authority's planners who originally requested a resubmission taking on board the local concerns, Trumpgate will rumble on.

Salmond to Face the Music Before Full Parliament

Trumpgate is going to face a full Parliamentary debate at Holyrood, after the local government committee made the decision for its report to be before all MSPs.

The report looked into the SNPs actions over calling in Donald Trump's golf course resort plans for Aberdeenshire. After the local planning committee and Aberdeenshire council rejected them on environmental grounds the finance Minster John Swinney called the application in to Holyrood for review, alledgedly with Trumps team pulling strings behind the scenes. Also part of this particular report was a similarly called in application tyhis one for expansion of the Highland Aviemore Resort. The owner Donald MacDonald is a major SNP donor.

The SNP MSP Bob Doris tried to say that there was pressure on Parliamentary time. However, without a second chamber to hold to account the government this role has got to be filled by the Parliament itself. With this being the biggest possible abuse of power in the opening months of the SNP adminsitration it is quite right that this should be a full and frank debate not confined to some committee room.