Leader faces down quit calls Campbell given vote of confidence
Seven councillors this week took the unsual step to sign a declaration of support for council leader Douglas Campbell only days after calls for him to quit over a SNP racism storm.
The councillors united only days after party members told the Post that they wanted the SNP leader to resign over his ‘ weak’ handling of the racism row.
It comes two weeks after we told shamed councillor Julie Dettbarn was suspended from the SNP.
Dettbarn said she felt like a ‘ n*****’ in the woodpile in a bombshell social media message.
The Kyle councillor resigned as the council’s chairwoman of health and social work following the racist slur being leaked to the Post.
The SNP group met on Monday and councillors unanimously signed the declaration of support for Campbell.
Councillors Laura BrennanWhitefield, Siobhian Brown, Ian Cochrane, Chris Cullen, William Grant, Peter Henderson and Craig Mackay gave the council leader their full backing and sent a copy of their declaration with all their signatures in an email to the Post.
It read: “In the light of suggestions to the contrary, we as members of the
SNP South Ayrshire
C o u n c i l G roup formally confirm our continued full support and confidence in n councillor Douglas s Campbell as leader of f our group and South h Ayrshire Council.”
But an SNP council l source said: “A few are e not happy with him but ut they will not do anything ng about it.”
The insider said there was a split in the party following our story about Dettbarn’s racist slur.
They said some party members wanted an investigation into who leaked the information to the Post. The SNP council insider told us: “The bigger story now is to find the person who gave the information to the Post. But Douglas Campbell doesn’t want this to happen.
“There is a great deal of mistrust among SNP councillors and there is no faith in Douglas Campbell’s leadership.
“The group leader’s position is untenable. The SNP group needs a new leader.
“We need someone who can lea lead the party over the next fou four years.”
Th The fallout saw former MP Corri Wilson and former o SNP councillors at attend a stormy SNP gr group meeting last M Monday.
And it is the second time in weeks that Campbell has faced a challenge to get him removed.
At last month’s SNP group AGM, Campbell
tgclung on to his post after a challenge to his leadership.
It is believed that Glasgow City Council leader, Susan Aitken, will be drafted into to speak to the SNP group to sort out the crisis.
Councillors will be asked to attend diversity and equality training following the shocking racist incident.
The insider added: “One councillor is now putting himself forward as the leader of the party after the summer.
“The feeling is that there is no- one great to emerge as the leader but there needs to be change.
“It is not a strong group of councillors and there needs to be a replacement at the top.”
When asked to respond for calls from within his party to quit last week, Councillor Campbell replied: “I am unaware of this.
“Perhaps you could let me know who is calling for my resignation and then I may comment.”
It is understood councillor Campbell and William Grant will share councillor Dettbarn’s position as chair of health and social care until a replacement is found.
Council sources say Dettbarn is furious at being “hung- out to dry” by her SNP colleagues. She was unavailable for comment this week when contacted by the Post.