Co-operation is the key to reasoned debate in the local corridors of power

Sir, – One of the benefits of the additional member system (AMS) voting for the Holyrood Parliament is that it does seem to ensure that all voices are represented in the chamber, unlike the first past the post (FPTP) method at Westminster, where in 2019 it created an 80-seat majority on 43.6% of the vote. A 1.3% increase in votes delivered 7% in seats.

Scottish council elections with multi-member wards and the single transferable vote (STV) elections also provide a more balanced representation in councils.

The AMS and STV systems both tend to drive (encourage) a degree of co-operation within these buildings, as in order to take forward sensible and practical policies, some form of engagement is required between political parties and individuals to make progress.

Westminster, on the other hand, with its adversarial attitude, seems to drive the culture that the administration must win every debate across the floor, otherwise they are deemed weak.

So every debate is not a test of the rightness of the proposal but a test of the individual standing at the despatch box and the quick-witted oration to defend the point or policy.

These debating styles do not allow for detailed examination of the cut and thrust in real time. There is no video assistant referee that can be relied upon to tease out the validity of a response.

The culture in Holyrood has been marred by this Westminster method.

It is apparent that some ex-members of Westminster have brought the ‘yah, boo’ mentality and actions to our house of democracy, seemingly attempting to bring it down to the same level of debate.

In recent times some councils have also been infected by this disease, where coalitions of unionists have sought to block and bar other councillors from applying alternative but still reasonable adjustments and insight into policy development and implementation, even when these suggestions are generally in line with budgetary controls.

It seems it’s a case of it’s oor ba, so it’s oor game.

It is my contention that Scottish Conservatives and those independents that formed the toxic and chaotic Angus Council administration since 2017 should be allowed to sit out this next dance.

I thank Derek Healey for his investigative journalism, which defrocked ‘Lady Whistledown’ and other trolls and for taking the stance to ‘empty seat’ Mr David Fairweather in a recent interview.