Glasgow North councillor switches allegiance

The politics of Maryhill took a twist in the favour of the Scottish Liberal Democrats this week when Councillor Alex Dingwall defected from the SNP.
This means the Maryhill-Kelvin ward is now made up of two Labour and two Liberal Democrat councillors.
Dingwall’s decision falls in the favour of candidate Katy Gordon, Lib Dem prospective candidate for Glasgow North, who aims to oust Labour’s sitting MP Ann McKechin at this spring’s General Election.
Councillor Dingwall had been an SNP member for 31 years.
He claimed his decision for leaving the party had nothing to do with the Glasgow Airport Rail Link or the cash for lunches scandal which is presently rocking the Scottish Government.
However, he cited reasons along the lines of over-centralisation by the SNP which was fundamental to making his move.
He said: ‘The Local Income Tax failure by the SNP (that it should not be set locally) was a key issue for me.
‘The SNP has gone backwards where the Scottish Liberal Democrats have progressed in terms of putting forward policies on what local government is all about.’
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Councillor Dingwall’s constitutional aspirations have not changed.
He added: ‘If it was to come to a referendum I would still vote in favour of an independent Scotland.’
James Dornan, Leader of the Opposition, in the city, admitted he was surprised to see an old colleague jump ship.
The SNP Glasgow leader said: ‘It came as a big surprise, we never expected he would end up with the Liberal Democrats.
‘However, he has been unhappy for a while now, and we did everything we could to keep him in the SNP group, but it wasn’t to be.’