New calls for Majury to go
Tories accused of hypocrisy after Davidson’s harassment remarks
Remarks by Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, this week prompted fresh calls for the resignation of a Stirling councillor.
Dunblane and Bridge of Allan representative Alastair Majury was allowed back into the Stirling Council Tory Group after apologising for offensive and inappropriate remarks on social media.
But SNP rivals say he should again consider his position following comments by Ms Davidson in the wake of reports of sexual harassment allegations against MPs and MSPs.
Ms Davidson said: “The dam has broken on this now and these ... overwhelmingly male-dominated professions, where boys’ own locker room culture has prevailed, and it’s all been a bit of a laugh, has got to stop.”
Councillor Majury was first elected to the council in May, but suspended by the party after internet remarks – which included boasts about the size of his penis – emerged a short time later.
He was reinstated in August after the apology and undertaking diversity and equality training.
SNP councillor for Stirling North Susan McGill agreed with the statement made by Ms Davidson concerning the sexual harassment claims, but added: “It is sheer hypocrisy that they come from a party leader who re-admitted a Tory councillor after he made such sick and disgusting comments about women on an fetish website.
“Women across the globe are finding the strength to speak out about sexual harassment they have experienced – this is an incredibly liberating time and one that gives us as a society a huge opportunity to call time on a culture of abuse. However, for Ruth Davidson to use what’s happening as an opportunity to make headlines for herself is beyond the pale after letting Councillor Majury back into her party.”
She added that SNP Group members were of the view that Councillor Majury was unfit to hold public office and she called on Tory group Leader Neil Benny “to do the responsible thing” and sack him . Following a number of allegations of inappropriate behaviour at Westminster and Holyrood, Sir Michael Fallon resigned as Defence Secretary and SNP MSP Mark McDonald quit as a junior Scottish Government Minister.
Leader of Stirling Council Conservative Group Neil Benny said: “Given that Cllr Majury has reflected and taken responsibility for his actions, standing up and apologising to the Council and the people of Stirling, I think that it’s time for the SNP to stop hounding him.
“He is now getting on with the job of representing the people of Dunblane and Bridge of Allan.”