Cllr Fiona Higgins, Historic Win Against SCS & More Failed SNP Complaints. Ep 59

THE WATCHDOG THAT BROKE THE LAW? | FIONA HIGGINS, THE STANDARDS COMMISSION & THE WEAPONISATION OF THE CODE

This could be our most explosive episode yet.

Fresh from her historic Court of Session victory, Cllr Fiona Higgins joins us to discuss the judgment that found the Standards Commission for Scotland acted unlawfully when it refused to admit evidence she wanted to rely on in her defence.

So now the obvious question has to be asked:

Who holds the watchdog to account when the watchdog itself gets it wrong?

We look at a standards system with enormous power over elected councillors, a process capable of damaging reputations and political careers, and whether that system has become far too comfortable operating without meaningful challenge.

We discuss the refusal of evidence, the consequences of the Court of Session ruling, and what this could mean for other councillors who have previously faced the same system.

Then we go further.

Has the Councillors’ Code of Conduct become a convenient weapon for senior council figures who would rather silence scrutiny than answer difficult questions?

When does legitimate accountability become intimidation?

When does “standards” become control?

And what happens to local democracy when elected councillors start wondering whether asking the wrong question could trigger the next complaint?

And because this episode apparently wasn’t explosive enough already, we turn to North Lanarkshire SNP.

We examine the long-awaited investigation into the party’s handling of the Jordan Linden scandal, the treatment of those who raised concerns, the extraordinarily narrow scope of the review and the inevitable question:

Just how independent was this “independent” investigation?

There are some organisations that spend a lot of time demanding accountability from everybody else.

Tonight, we turn the spotlight back on them.

The Standards Commission.
The Councillors’ Code.
Council chief officers.
North Lanarkshire SNP.
Jordan Linden.
The investigation.
The fallout.

Nobody gets a free pass.

🔥 This is What’s The Point?

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