Salmond in Games ‘cover-up’
...and Tory leader joins chorus of concern over opening ceremony
ALEX Salmond was last night dragged into the row over the demolition of the Red Road flats as it emerged he has been fully aware of the plan for two months.
On Friday, a Scottish Government statement played down his role in the controversy, saying ‘ministers’ were only told details of the controversial plan two days before it was announced to the public.
But after five days of requests by the Scottish Daily Mail for further clarification, a Scottish Government spokesman last night admitted the First Minister had been told ‘informally’ about the plan in February. The admission prompted claims of a cover-up.
The plan, to blow up five empty Red Road tower blocks during the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony has seen 15,000 people sign a protest petition. Last night, Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson slammed the plan as ‘a terrible idea’.
ALEX Salmond was secretly briefed about plans to demolish the Red Road f l ats during the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony as far back as February.
The admission came five days after a Scottish Government spokesman claimed ministers had not been informed of the proposals until April 1.
As opposition to the plans continues to grow, the First Minister is now under pressure to order Games organisers to perform a U-turn. Last night, Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson hit out at the ‘terrible idea’ and local Labour MSP Patricia Ferguson has demanded a meeting with Games chiefs.
The admission that Mr Salmond had prior knowledge of the decision follows five days of evasion by the Scottish Government, with a spokesman claiming last Friday that ministers were only informed of ‘plans to include the Red Road element’ at a meeting on April 1.
After persistent requests for further information by the Mail, it is understood an emergency conference call was arranged at 5pm last night between Scottish Government spin doctors and Games organisers.
Three hours later, a Government spokesman conceded: ‘Both the First Minister and the Commonwealth Games [minister] were informally briefed on the outline concept of the Red Road element to the opening ceremony in February 2014 and were made aware of the operational aspects of the idea through the strategic group meeting on April 1.’
The revelation adds weight to a claim from Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson, who said last week that Mr Salmond had signed- off the contentious plan. Labour insiders claim the SNP has been desperate to protect the First Minister from the fall- out triggered by last week’s public announcement about the demolition project.
A Tory insider accused the Scottish Government of a ‘cover-up’ designed to keep Mr Salmond’s name away from the proposals.
The plans were first unveiled publicly last Thursday, but the scale of the backlash became clear within hours. A petition was l aunched, which has now attracted nearly 15,000 signatures.
Mr Matheson appeared on TV on Thursday evening to claim that Mr Salmond had signed off the idea, but a day later the Scottish Government appeared to deny that.
A spokesman said: ‘Glasgow 2014 are responsible for the content of the opening and closing ceremonies. Through the Glasgow 2014 strategic group meetings, ministers have been informed of plans and proposals for ceremonies. Ministers were informed of plans to include the Red Road element at this month’s meeting.’
On Tuesday, in a revised statement, a spokesman said: ‘Operational aspects of the Red Road element of the opening ceremony were presented to the strategic group meeting on April 1.’ He also confirmed that Mr Salmond was present at this month’s meeting.
Finally, in last night’s statement – five days after the Mail first asked for information – a spokesman said: ‘Games partners and the Glasgow 2014 board have received regular updates of the concepts and content of the Glasgow 2014 ceremonies as they have been developed.’
As the political fall- out over the demolition stunt continued yester- day, Tory leader Miss Davidson said: ‘Personally, I think it is a terrible idea which has nothing to do with the Commonwealth of nations.
‘I cannot imagine what athletes and supporters from other parts of the world – places where the housing stock is nowhere near UK standards – will think about tower blocks being blown up in their name. If I’d trained for four years to compete for my country, I’d be thoroughly confused as to why this demolition had anything to do with sport.’
The petition’s creator, former socialist MSP Carolyn Leckie, will meet with the Games organisers on Tuesday, accompanied by Len Bunton, son of the Red Road flats architect, who said: ‘ No one is going to convince the 13,500 people who have signed the petition to change their minds.’
A Games spokesman said: ‘ Glasgow 2014 and Games partners remain committed to ensuring the important story of Red Road is part of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.’
plan, raising concerns that the Commonwealth Games explosion could be a failure.
The blow-down of the flats in Dundee’s Alexander Street in 2011, and another two 25-storey blocks in Derby Street last year, were delayed due to bad weather and people straying into the unsafe exclusion zone. The second blast damaged St Martin’s Church, which was hit by rubble.
Dundee councillor Jimmy Black, who witnessed the delays, said: ‘Scheduling the live demolition of these blocks during the opening ceremony sounds optimistic. I wonder if the people who have had the idea to explode them all at once understand the technical difficulties which might occur.’
If the flats cannot be demolished simultaneously, the spectacle could be ruined.
The Glasgow 2014 organising committee has confirmed that the Red Road flats blow-down will only take place ‘if and when it is safe’.
But Dr Sean Semple, an air pollution expert at the University of Aberdeen, said ‘many tons’ of debris particles would be generated by the explosion.
However, a spokesman for Glasgow Housing Association, which owns the Red Road flats, said: ‘Public safety is our absolute priority.’