Bias claims denied over speakers at Ideas event

Critics hit out at Labour domination of platform speeches at Festival of Ideas

Local Labour councillors have been accused of using the Adam Smith Festival of Ideas for political gain.

With Labour heavyweights including Gordon Brown and Ed Balls dominating the programme, questions have been raised about a £4,995 allocation of Fife Council funding approved by Kirkcaldy area committee.

Committee chairman Neil Crooks denied the decision to grant the funding was politically motivated.

But independent councillor Marie Penman said: “The fact that Gordon Brown is now making a speech which will suggest a ‘third option for Scotland, a patriotic Scottish way and free from the absolutism of the SNP’ makes me think there is definitely a political element to this.

“He’s effectively using the platform to give an anti-independence press conference.”

She added that because the sum was less than £5,000, it was not subject to discussion in public.

“The festival’s programme seemed to be dominated by Labour Party speakers, but when I mentioned this to my fellow Kirkcaldy area councillors, I was assured that this was a non-political event, and was all about promoting the legacy of Adam Smith,” she said.

SNP councillor George Kay accused his Labour colleagues of treating public money “as if it was their own.”

He said: “I really do feel that there needs to be a public scrutiny over the whole event and that the application to Fife Council was set deliberately at a level just £5 beneath the level which would attract the necessity of public reporting.”

Also speaking out was Lib Dem councillor Susan Leslie.

She said: “This year we were asked to approve an application very late, after all the publicity was out...The timing of this request for money, with so little information, in the run up to elections was very unfortunate and left it open to accusations of political bias, given the line-up of speakers.”

Mr Crooks hit back by accusing the councillors of trying to score political points ahead of the May elections.

“If somebody wants to take a microscope to the job I’ve done as area committee chair over the past five years, feel free,” he said.

“They won’t find any party political decisions that have been taken.”

Pictures: Kim Cessford. Keynote speakers, from left, Brendan Cox, former PM Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah.