SNP councillor '˜sorry' for calling opponent a liar during council meeting

SNP Cllr Norman Work publicly apologised after he was heard calling Lib Dem Cllr Kevin Lang a liar. Picture: TSPL

SNP Cllr Norman Work has publicly apologised after he was heard calling Liberal Democrat Cllr Kevin Lang a liar on the council’s webcast system during an argument over bus services.

During a heated debate into bus infrastructure in rural western and southern parts of the Capital, Cllr Work said: “One of the first acts that this administration did as far as rural west Edinburgh was concerned was successfully persuade Lothian Buses to operate in Queensferry.”

But Cllr Lang challenged the claim, stating the Lothian Buses announcement was made before the SNP-Labour coalition was formed.

Lothian Buses announced the introduction of the new service in Queensferry on May 11 last year. This coalition administration wasn’t announced until five weeks later on June 16, 2017.

Conservative Cllr Nick Cook labelled Cllr Work’s claims as “from a parallel universe”.

Cllr Work forgot to turn his microphone off and can clearly be heard speaking to Cllr Neil Gardiner, saying : “He’s lying, he’s lying. It was this administration that this announcement was made.”

Posting on Twitter, Cllr Work apologised for the comment.

He said: “Sorry for what I said in chamber yesterday. I should’ve stuck to the subject of debate. I’m happy to retract any comments insinuating you’re a liar. I will also personally apologise the next time I see you.”

Cllr Lang accepted the apology.

He said: “I am grateful to Cllr Work for his apology and for retracting his suggestion that I lied to the chamber.

“Whilst we can all have political disagreements and fiery debates, it is still important for councillors to treat each other with respect. I am pleased we can now draw a line under all this and move on.”

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