Opposition groups on Dundee City Council have condemned an independence referendum “stunt” by the SNP majority while the local authority wrestles with major budget pressures.
SNP councillor for North East, Willie Sawers, wants the council to agree that its leader, John Alexander, write to Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, asking the UK government to work “urgently” with the Scottish government towards another referendum.
The local authority will meet for the first time this year on Monday evening.
Among items to be discussed is a report by the council’s chief executive explaining the challenges ahead following the Scottish government’s December budget.
Mr Sawers said on Thursday: “The SNP group believe that Scotland being denied a say on our future is a democratic outrage.”
His motion was put on the agenda of next week’s policy and resources committee.
In response, Labour group leader, councillor Kevin Keenan, will ask that the council’s chief executive write to First Minster, Nicola Sturgeon, about her government’s “ongoing failure to address the crisis” in NHS Scotland.
Liberal Democrat group leader, Councillor Fraser Macpherson, accused Mr Sawers of: “wasting everybody’s time with a publicity stunt on an issue that has nothing to do with local government responsibilities.”
The council’s only Conservative party member, Councillor Derek Scott, said: “The SNP administration in Dundee should be focusing efforts and attention on the issues it has responsibility for.”
In a year end interview, Mr Alexander said he “respects” a UK supreme court decision which ruled the Scottish government doesn’t have the power to hold a referendum, but described the UK constitution as “a democratic prison.”
Dundee City Council is the only local authority in Scotland with an SNP majority.
‘Signs of desperation’
Explaining his amendment, Kevin Keenan said the SNP group normally held to the party line laid down by the First Minister, which is that the next General Election is a de facto referendum on independence.
“A letter to Rishi Sunak shows real signs of desperation to me,” Cllr Keenan said.
“Perhaps this is the cracks starting to show between different factions of their party on how independence is achieved?
“I believe there are far more important things that we need to address.”
‘Financial support for Dundee’
Liberal Democrat group leader, Fraser Macpherson said, “Councillor Sawers is the SNP administration’s lead on finance matters.
“His own SNP government has just handed down a budget settlement to Dundee City Council that means another massive real terms cut in our council’s core funding, after more than 10 years of real terms cuts, and this will lead to socially harmful cuts to vital local services.”
“Mr Sawers should be putting his energies into getting better financial support for Dundee.”
‘More devolved power’
Mr Sawers added: “We respect and understand that not all of our council colleagues support independence, and some will vigorously campaign against it. That is their democratic right and we fully understand that.
“What we do not understand is how democratically elected councillors can argue that their constituents should not have a vote on Scotland’s future.”
In a December interview, Council leader John Alexander, said: “(It’s) not just about powers being devolved or won by the Scottish parliament through a referendum process, but having far more powers devolved to local authorities.
“And that’s a conversation I’m having now with the Scottish government.
“After independence, I would also like to see significantly more powers being devolved to local government. It’s not just about centralising powers in Edinburgh.”
‘Wrong priority, worst time’
Conservative councillor, Derek Scott added: “It’s an attempt to deflect from SNP failings both nationally and here in Dundee.
“I shall of course be opposing Bailie Sawer’s item. A second independence referendum is the wrong priority for Scotland at the worst possible time.”
The council will meet online at 5pm on Monday.
