Agenda item

“That this Council has no confidence in the new UK Prime Minister and Government to act in the best interests of the citizens of Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK and instructs the Chief Executive to write to Aberdeen’s MPs urging them to support any no confidence motion in the UK Government that is tabled in the House of Commons.”

The Council had before it the following notice of motion by Councillor Yuill:-

            “That this Council has no confidence in the new UK Prime Minister and Government to act in the best interests of the citizens of Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK and instructs the Chief Executive to write to Aberdeen’s MPs urging them to support any no confidence motion in the UK Government that is tabled in the House of Commons.”

Councillor Yuill moved, seconded by Councillor Delaney:-

            That the Council approve the notice of motion.

Councillor Laing moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Duncan:-

            That this Council -

(1)      Condemns the decision by the Conservative Government to use royal prerogative powers to suspend Parliament;

(2)      Believes the action taken by the Conservative Government supports the proposition that there is a danger that the royal prerogative is being set directly against the wishes of a majority within the House of Commons;

(3)      Supports the attempts being made by Labour, SNP, Plaid Cymru, Green, Change UK, Independent MPs and others to ensure our Parliament has enough time to discuss Brexit and the implications a no deal Brexit will have on the UK and out economy;

(4)      Notes the Supreme Court decision that it is in the interest of justice and the public interest that Scotland’s highest Court should determine a position on any abuse of power orchestrated by the Prime Minister and/or the Conservative Government; and

(5)      Instructs the Chief Executive to write to Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition; Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish First Minister; Ian Blackford, Leader of the SNP at Westminster and Jo Swinson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats urging them to support any motion tabled by the Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition and others to stop this blatant abuse of power.

Councillor Lumsden moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor Donnelly:-

            That Council -

(1)      Has confidence in the new UK Prime Minister and Government to act in the best interests of the citizens of Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK;

(2)      Welcomes the new £14billion in educational funding announced by the UK Government on Friday 30 August 2019 from 2020/21 to 2022/23;

(3)      Notes that Scotland is estimated to receive £1.9billion of extra funding as a result of the Barnett Formula;

(4)      Instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work and Alison Evison, President of COSLA, requesting a guarantee that all additional funding received as a result of the spending announcement is ring fenced for spending on education spending; and

(5)      Notes the higher £1,661 per person spend for people in Scotland than other parts of the United Kingdom on public services, only made possible by Scotland being part of the UK and benefitting from the Union dividend.

Councillor Boulton moved as a further amendment, seconded by the Depute Provost:-

That Council condemns the use of Council time and resources to further political party point-scoring. Condemns attempts to draw the Chief Executive into political shenanigans and reminds the Chamber that Aberdeen Councillors should be focused on delivering services and outcomes for the people of Aberdeen in a time of very challenging financial constraints.

During the course of summing up, Councillor Laing indicated that she was willing to include Liberal Democrat MPs within part (3) of her amendment, as well as writing to Liz Saville Roberts, Leader of Plaid Cymru, and the city’s three MPs within part (5) of her amendment. Consequently, Councillor Yuill agreed to withdraw his motion, as a result of which Councillor Laing’s amendment became the substantive motion.

There being a motion and two amendments, the Council first divided between the two amendments.

On a division, there voted:-

For the amendment by Councillor Lumsden  (10)  -  Councillors Bell, Donnelly, Houghton, Imrie, John, Lumsden, MacKenzie, Mason MSP, Wheeler and Sellar.

For the amendment by Councillor Boulton  (3)  -  Depute Provost; and Councillors Boulton and Reynolds.

Declined to vote  (28)  -  Lord Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Allan, Allard MEP, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Flynn, Graham, Grant, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, Laing, Macdonald, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Malik, Nicoll, Noble and Yuill.

Absent from the division  (1)  -  Councillor Townson.

The Council then divided between the motion by Councillor Laing and the amendment by Councillor Lumsden.

For the motion by Councillor Laing  (28)  -  Lord Provost; and Councillors Al-Samarai, Allan, Allard MEP, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Flynn, Graham, Grant, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, Laing, Macdonald, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Malik, Nicoll, Noble and Yuill.

For the amendment by Councillor Lumsden  (12)  -  Depute Provost; and Councillors Bell, Boulton, Donnelly, Houghton, Imrie, John, Lumsden, MacKenzie, Mason MSP, Wheeler and Sellar.

Declined to vote  (1)  -  Councillor Reynolds.

Absent from the division  (1)  -  Councillor Townson.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion by Councillor Laing as below.

            That this Council -

(1)      Condemns the decision by the Conservative Government to use royal prerogative powers to suspend Parliament;

(2)      Believes the action taken by the Conservative Government supports the proposition that there is a danger that the royal prerogative is being set directly against the wishes of a majority within the House of Commons;

(3)      Supports the attempts being made by Labour, SNP, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru, Green, Change UK, Independent MPs and others to ensure our Parliament has enough time to discuss Brexit and the implications a no deal Brexit will have on the UK and our economy;

(4)      Notes the Supreme Court decision that it is in the interest of justice and the public interest that Scotland’s highest Court should determine a position on any abuse of power orchestrated by the Prime Minister and/or the Conservative Government; and

(5)      Instructs the Chief Executive to write to Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition; Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish First Minister; Ian Blackford, Leader of the SNP at Westminster; Jo Swinson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats; Liz Saville Roberts, Leader of Plaid Cymru; and the city’s three MPs urging them to support any motion tabled by the Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition and others to stop this blatant abuse of power.