6th
September 2006
Mitchell’s
Spin and U-turns Can’t Hide the Facts – McNeil
Responding to Cllr Jim Mitchell’s
latest attempt to spin his way out of criticism over Inverclyde Council’s
rejection of peace talks on the ongoing schools row, MSP for Greenock and
Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil, said:
"We’re
all used to Jim Mitchell falling out with parents, school boards and the public
at large. But now he’s managed to
fall out with himself.
"In
Monday night’s Telegraph he said
that, ‘a meeting with Peter Peacock would be a complete waste of time’; 24
hours later he says no such meeting was ever proposed.
"In
fact, both statements are untrue – as I have confirmed with the Education
Minister this morning. A meeting
was offered by the Minister and rejected by the Council leadership.
I can’t make it any clearer: at the Minister’s request, his officials
raised the prospect of a meeting with the Council.
The Council leadership, however, wouldn’t entertain a compromise and
declared they would press ahead regardless.
"Nor
would it have been a waste of time. A
similar meeting with the Communities Minister helped break the impasse over
housing stock transfer, making the Council see sense.
"I spoke
to the Minister today and he remains more than willing to come to Greenock and
convene talks if there is any prospect of progress being made.
"These
are the facts and no amount of spin, u-turns and self-contradiction from Jim
Mitchell can make them go away."
ENDS
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