 | 'This is a substantially good and effective government - the bit that is going wrong is the 'New' bit.' Clare Short, Secretary of State for International Development, 18 th July 2000. |  |
| 'This is a substantially good and effective government - the bit that is going wrong is the 'New' bit.' Clare Short, Secretary of State for International Development, 18 th July 2000. | |
Labour were breathing a sight of relief when they held on to the Cathedral ward of Moray council with a majority of 56 over the Scottish National Party, compared to 502 in May 1999. Labour's percentage of the vote crashed by 30.5 % in the by-election.
Cathedral ward is in the centre of Elgin. It is named after Elgin Cathedral, which was known as the Lantern of the North. The cathedral suffered considerable damage in the reign of King Robert II, when it was burned by, not the English, but the King's own son, Alexander, Earl of Buchan, better known as the Wolf of Badenoch.
In 1992, Moray Council had no overall control and was composed of 8 Independents, 7 Scottish National Party, 1 Conservative, 1 Labour and 1 'Moray Man'. Four wards had changed hands with Bishopmill being won by an Independent from Labour, Findhorn Valley being won by an Independent from the SNP, Laich being won by the Tories from the SNP, and New Elgin being won by the SNP from and Independent.
The sole Labour councillor was Alastair Farquharson in Cathedral, who took 583 votes (44.3 %), 198 ahead of the SNP's E. Hardie with 385 (29.2 %) while Conservative G. Rogers took 349 votes (26.5 %).
After local government reorganisation, three of the five District Councils in Grampian region (Banff & Buchan, Gordon and Kincardine & Deeside) amalgamated to form Aberdeenshire Council, while the City of Aberdeen and Moray retained their independence. In Moray, the Scottish National Party took 50.2 % of the vote in 1995 and took control of the council with 13 of the 18 seats. Independents took two seats, while Labour's Ali Farquharson in Cathedral was joined by two colleagues.
In 1995, there was a four-way fight in Cathedral involving the four main political parties. Ali Farquharson took 788 votes (51.2 %), the SNP's Michael Hardie took 495 (32.2 %), while Alex Cooper won 170 (11.1 %) for the Tories and the Lib Dem candidate Helen Johnstone took 90 (5.9 %).
In 1999, there were major boundary changes in Moray and the number of wards was increased from 18 to 26. The position of the Scottish National Party and the Independents was dramatically reversed with the SNP taking 30.0 % of the vote and winning just two wards (down from 13) while the Independents took 33.4 % of the vote and won 13 wards (up from 2). Labour took 15.4 % of the vote, increasing its representation from three to six, Lib Dems were represented for the first time winning 2 wards (with 10.6% of the vote) while the Conservatives (with 3.3 %) won a ward for the first time since 1992. The two remaining wards were retained by previous SNP councillors who stood this time around as 'Scottish Independents'.
In Cathedral, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats did not contest the ward in 1999 and there was a two-way fight between Ali Farquharson who retained the ward with 830 votes (71.7 %) while the SNP's Michael Hardie took 328 (28.3 %).
In Moray the Independents allied themselves with Labour to form an administration and Ali Farquharson became the chairman of Moray's policy and resources committee.
Ali Farquharson was also Labour's candidate for Moray in the Scottish general election of May 1999 where he increased Labour's vote by 6.7 % and pipped Conservative Andrew Finlay for second place.
The by-election here is caused by the resignation of Cllr Farquharson who was expelled from the Labour party for not paying his council tax.
It is extremely hard to reconcile the fact that a Labour councillor has been obliged to resign for owing three months council tax, while the party leader, Tony Blair continues as Prime Minister despite avoiding paying the thousands of pounds of tax which any other captain of industry would have been obliged to pay on his recent free holiday flight in a private plane. Clearly, what's sauce for the goose is not sauce for the gander. Prime Ministers, it would seem, unlike local councillors, are above the law.
But we should no longer be surprised at Tony Blair's hypocrisy. As long ago as the 22 nd of July 1998, Jimmy Reid wrote in the Herald, 'New Labour responds to any accusation against a Labour councillor like the conditioned reflexes of Pavlov's dog. 'Get rid of him or her', whether guilty or innocent. New Labour's image has to be protected at all costs. Like Blair protected it with Bernie Ecclestone? The corrosive corruption that is tearing at the soul of British Labour is the corruption of its principles and ideals. And that goes right to the top.' How right he was.
In the by-election, there were six candidates, compared to the two-horse, Labour-SNP race in May 1999. Labour's majority over the SNP was reduced from 502 to 56 as their percentage of the vote slumped by 30.5 % to 41.2 %, while the SNP vote rose from 28.3 to 31.7 %.
The Scottish Socialist Party, standing for the first time, came third with 11.8 %. In fourth place came an Independent with 6.6 %, ahead of the Liberal Democrats with 6.3 % and a second Independent with 2.4 %.
The turnout was 25.0 %, down from 48.4 % in May 1999.
The composition of Moray Council remains unchanged at 13 Independents, 6 Labour, 2 Scottish National Party, 2 Scottish Independents, 2 Liberal Democrats and 1 Conservative.
A top Scottish Labour councillor and former MSP candidate was thrown out of the party last night after it was revealed he owed council tax.
Moray councillor Ali Farquharson, who is also chairman of the authority's policy and resources committee, owes his own council three months council tax.
The arrears form part of an estimated £100,000 debt accrued by his electrical company, Farquharson Electrics. Frustrated suppliers have now sought a sequestration order on the 50-year old councillor's estate, which includes his house and other assets.
They will be sold off to repay his debts.
The party said it was forced to suspend the councillor because he was alleged to have taken part in a vote while owing council tax.
The rules governing members' conduct mean that father-of-two Mr Farquharson could face criminal proceedings under section 112 of the Local Government Act 1992. A report has been prepared for Elgin's procurator-fiscal.
In a statement yesterday, the Moray Labour group said 'Last night Councillor Ali Farquharson was suspended and immediately offered his resignation to the Moray Council Labour Group.
'He has also indicated that he will resign from Moray Council.'
Mr Farquharson was not at his home last night.
| 26 th October 2000 | 6 th May 1999 | ||||||
 |
242 | 41.2 % | Alastair Farquharson | |
830 | 71.7 % | |
 |
186 | 31.7 % | Michael Hardie | |
328 | 28.3 % | |
 |
69 | 11.8 % | |||||
| Ind | 39 | 6.6 % | |||||
 |
37 | 6.3 % | |||||
| Ind | 14 | 2.4 % | |||||
| Lab hold | Lab maj. | 56 | 9.5 % | Lab win | Lab maj. | 502 | 43.4 % |
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