Aristocrat who failed to pay tax suspended by Tories
Clan chief refused to settle £2.5k bill in anti-SNP protest
A TORY councillor and clan chief has been suspended from the party for a year after refusing to pay his council tax.
Sebastian Leslie was subject to an internal disciplinary investigation by the Scottish Conservatives after he admitted deliberately missing payments amounting to more than £2,500.
The Clan Leslie chieftain claims he was staging a protest against the ‘degradation of the Scottish justice system of the SNP’.
A party spokesman said: ‘Councillor Leslie has been suspended from the Scottish Conservative party. We will not be making any further comment.’
It is understood the suspension takes effect from June, when the investigation started, and will run for one year, after which it will be subject to review.
The retired farmer won the Aberdeenshire constituency of West Garioch in May last year from Patricia Oddie, who stood down following a cancer battle.
The councillor lives with his wife Candida in seven-bedroomed Lickleyhead Castle near Insch, Aberdeenshire.
His daughter is Game of Thrones star Rose Leslie, who previously hit the campaign trail with a Conservative candidate in the NorthEast and spoke out against independence ahead of the 2014 referendum.
Earlier this year Miss Leslie married Thrones co-star Kit Harington at a ceremony in Aberdeenshire, which was followed by an evening reception at Wardhill Castle hosted by her father.
Speaking in May about the non-payments, Mr Leslie said: ‘I understand why the party has taken this action – and I have no problem with this.
‘I have been running a campaign against the degradation to the Scottish justice system of the SNP since I was elected.
‘In order to raise publicity on this matter I have overstepped the mark and have gone slow on my council tax. I therefore accept I need to be disciplined on that matter.’
He added: ‘I have submitted, some months ago, and my lawyers are in conversation with Aberdeenshire Council about releasing, the full details of why I have run this campaign. Aberdeenshire Council have refused to release those details, which in my view should be released under the Freedom of Information Act.’
Mr Leslie could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Aberdeenshire SNP group leader Councillor Richard Thomson said: ‘Councillor Leslie’s suspension to date has been a farce. On the face of it he might have been suspended by his party.
‘However, within the council, all that has happened is a game of musical chairs which has allowed Councillor Leslie to remain and participate fully in the administration group as one of their “aligned independents”.
‘If Councillor Leslie isn’t fit to be a member of the Conservatives, then he’s not fit to be in the Conservative-led council administration full stop.’
Last year, Aberdeenshire Council disclosed that Mr Leslie was one of two councillors who had outstanding council tax bills.
In the Freedom of Information response, it said: ‘The sum owed by Cllr Sebastian Leslie for the current tax year is £2,535.59.’
‘Suspension has been a farce’