MS Society Scotland votes to stay with UK

Published on Sunday 15 November 2009 21:48

THE Scottish council of a leading charity should start work again in January 2011 after it was suspended amid bitter infighting.

Earlier this year the MS Society's board suspended the devolved Scottish council after rows with the London office.

The incident led to MS Society Scotland's patron, Harry Potter author JK Rowling, standing down from the role.

On Saturday, at a meeting in Perth, some members called for the Scottish arm of the charity to become independent from the UK body. Others proposed a vote of no confidence in the UK trustees. But of the 836 members who voted, only 17 per cent backed independence and 25 per cent backed the no confidence motion.

Last week The Scotsman revealed that some campaigners believed Rowling would return to the charity if it became independent. Bill Findlay, a former chairman of MS Society Scotland, said yesterday one positive outcome was the re-formation of the Scottish council in 2011.