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Thursday, 10 September 2009 |
 Labour’s stance on the UK Border Agency’s decision to refuse visas for a trade delegation and the Lahore Pipe Band was today thrown into confusion, by the refusal of the Labour group on Glasgow City Council to join with opposition groups in condemning the decision.
When the visas were refused in August, Labour’s Baillie Hanzala Malik was widely quoted in the press saying the decision was 'ludicrous', 'crazy' and that 'The city has lost out on important meetings and income as a result of this error.'
Conversely, today at a full council meeting, Cllr Stephen Purcell, the leader of Glasgow City Council, refused to lend the Labour group’s support to a motion condemning the decision, on the grounds that could upset negotiations with the UK Border Agency.
Cllr Jennifer Dunn, the SNP group’s spokesperson on the issue, said: "The Labour Party’s stance on this issue is both confused and confusing.
"On one hand, Baillie Malik tells the press that the UK Border Agency has been heavy handed and has damaged Glasgow’s status internationally. Yet Stephen Purcell refuses to criticise the UK Border Agency in a council meeting on the grounds as he doesn’t to upset them, and desperately ignores the fact that one of his group has already had a go at them in the media.
"Either Baillie Malik appears to have acted without the support of his group when he spoke against the UK Border Agency’s decision. or Councillor Purcell is belatedly trying to hush up his group speaking out on an issue which is difficult for the UK government. Cllr Purcell should perhaps amend his oft quoted phrase 'Glasgow first, Glasgow last, Glasgow always' to 'Glasgow first – as long as it doesn’t embarrass the Labour Party!'
"Labour should be providing clear leadership for Glasgow, and the UK Border Agency's decision to refuse visas was widely seen as being to the detriment to Glasgow. Either they believe the UK Border Agency’s decision was correct or they don’t."
Notes:
The motion read:
Council condemns the recent decision of the UK Border Agency to deny a delegation of business leaders and musicians from Lahore entry into the UK, where they were to have visited Glasgow.
Council believes that allowing these visitors in would have benefitted the cultural and economic life of the city.
Baillie Malik is quoted here.
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