How VERY socialist! Council’s £235k Rolls
WITH a price tag of £235,000, the Rolls-Royce Ghost is usually associated with the rich and famous.
So seeing Glasgow’s Lord Provost cruising in such refined luxury might seem a bit incongruous.
But, thanks to a mystery benefactor, Provost Eva Bolander will now be using one for official engagements.
She announced the arrival of the vehicle, which bears the SNP-led council’s unique ‘G0’ number plate, on Tuesday by posing for a photo outside the offices of Glasgow City Council.
However, the delivery of the vehicle caused controversy after council bosses refused to release the identity of the donor.
Opposition politicians criticised the gift as ‘hypocritical’ in the wake of council announcements that it faces a £33million funding black hole. It has raised nursery fees by 57 per cent and scrapped free swimming lessons for children in an effort to make savings.
Labour Glasgow North East MP Paul Sweeney tweeted: ‘It’s Dickensian to have the Lord Provost of Glasgow swanning around in an 8mpg chauffeur-driven RollsRoyce while local council services are cut by SNP austerity.’
He added: ‘Auction it off to fund services for Glaswegians.’ Tory councillor Thomas Kerr said: ‘It seems they have blindsided themselves because at no point did any of the council officers think that this was inappropriate. The SNP campaigned on being open and transparent, complaining of the “dark corners” of the city chambers under Labour.
‘Then less than a year after they got into office the Lord Provost accepts this car without revealing to the council members or to the public where it came from. It stinks of hypocrisy.’
The two-year-old car will replace a council VW Phaeton, which was due to have its lease renewed.
Announcing the car’s arrival, Miss Bolander said: ‘On behalf of the city, I’d like to thank the donor for their civic generosity and philanthropy. I want Glasgow to show its best face to the world and this gift will help us do that.’
When council officers or elected members accept gifts, council policy states the donation must be placed on a ‘register of interest’.
But a council spokesman said that as the car was a ‘gift to the city’ and not an individual, its origins do not have to be declared.
She added: ‘It’s important to remember this is a donation, which has not cost the council anything and, in fact, will save money. When the donation was offered... the donor wished to remain anonymous.’
StRANGE days indeed when the SNP – which holds minority control on Glasgow City Council – is happy to defend the gift of a Rolls-Royce to the Lord Provost.
Nothing to do with us, the party insists, and it won’t cost the public any extra it (somewhat improbably) says.
Yet it is hard to escape the conclusion that had the gift (and the anonymity of the donor can’t last) been made when Labour was in charge and the SNP in opposition, its fury would have known no bounds.
And difficult, too, to argue with those who say the car should now be auctioned off, with the funds used to benefit the public.