Iain Maciver, Journalist and Broadcaster
Date: 20 April 2015
To: CnES press office
We also heard a claim at the deputy Labour leader’s press conference that the SNP delegation including the minister and our parliamentary representatives were at North Uist Development Company on Wednesday. I am told the MP made several party political points, as did the MSP and Councillor Manford.
Sitting two seats away from election candidate Angus Macneil throughout, I have learned, was the Returning Officer of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the man legally charged with treating all election candidates fairly and running a fair election. This is the same man who Angus Campbell, the leader of the comhairle, says need not step down.
I request a statement from the comhairle, as a matter of urgency, to confirm whether Mr Burr was indeed there and why he did not excuse himself when the political ranting began.
Regards
Iain
Can you see who it is yet? Now try and find the non-SNP election candidates.
The smoking gun. Returning Officer campaigning with one of the candidates? Absolutely outrageous, Burr must go.
Angus campbell has got it wrong. We understand why he would want to support his officer but he must now see that was completely wrong or resign himself. Angus was there and he heard the rants and he knew it was purdah. If he doesn’t understand that, then something smells.
You would think Angus Campbell would welcome an investigation. If he has done nothing wrong, the Returning Officer has nothing to fear.
I am really sorry NUDC got dragged into it but they have been used to try and show the world that the SNP is an unstoppable force with friends in high places. Once again, a freelance journalist who keeps digging even when life is made difficult for him and the power of social media have come together to expose the wrongdoing.
Obh Obh …. what next .. I agree he shouldn’t have been seen to be campaigning with a candidate
But who is going to rap his knuckles for that ? Personally I think this warrants an investigation but it looks like he’s untouchable .. … Angus Campbell has said so , he’s spoken 😀 😀 😀
Oh dear me and this is what runs our Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Now that was most ill-advised of the CEO. Most ill-advised.
The Chief Executive must now fall on his sword. The fact that the leader of the council supports him, although foolish, is irrelevant. This must now be the subject of a full, thorough investigation by the Chief Returning Officer for Scotland, and Burr will have to step down immediately since the democratic process, which he is legally charged to oversee, is clearly compromised.
Shame on Burr for allowing himself to be manipulated in this way, and shame on the SNP for thinking they could get away with this behaviour.
I hope the democratic element in the SNP, if any remain, will also condemn this distortion of democracy.
It won’t make the slightest difference to the May 7th election result who the returning officer is. I would confidently predict that – with the possible exception of a few hard-line FCC and FP church members – the vast majority of Nationalist islanders who voted for Angus Macneil in 2010 will dutifully do so again on May 7th, even if the Barraman were to curse his rosary beads and turn his back on the Virgin Mary to face Mecca as a Muslim convert.
Not even their distaste of false Gods could persuade Angus Macneil’s island supporters to let go their grip of Nationalist fundamentalism. Allah be praised a charaid !