West Lothian’s SNP opposition has been branded childish and accused of “throwing toys out of the pram” and “rank hypocrisy” after refusing to serve on the council’s new Licensing Board.
Ill-tempered exchanges followed the announcement by Councillor Robert de Bold that the SNP would not put forward two councillors to serve on the Board because of the party ‘s poor representation on other council committees. The stance forced a rejig of the committee structure and a reduction in the number of councillors serving on the Licensing Board, which controls the licensed trade in the county.
Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick initially proposed a motion writing to the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to ask her to remonstrate with her local party, and to encourage them to take up posts.
