A fierce, religiously charged, seven-hour standoff left Aberdeen councillors on the brink of tears as they were branded “spineless” for not revealing their beliefs ahead of a vote on Catholic schooling.
During shocking scenes, it’s claimed councillors without children were accused of having no place deciding on educational matters.
The convener of the education committee later faced a confidence vote amid claims decisions on religious schooling were “sectarian”.
And in a bizarre display, Protestants, Catholics and agnostic members all stood up one after the other in the Town House chamber to out themselves.
The vitriolic row deferred a crucial vote on the Aberdeen city centre bus gates.
At least eight councillors revealed their religious beliefs, or lack thereof, amid the furious, prolonged showdown.
Some revealed their faith objecting that they felt they must, others “jubilantly”, while opponents did so to heap political pressure on under-fire education convener Martin Greig.
It was his decision to refer a feasibility study on the future of denominational schools in Aberdeen to the full council that sowed the seeds of the religious malaise.
Catholic school row leaves education convener fighting for job
And opponents blasted the Liberal Democrat for being “undemocratic”, as the lay members of his education committee – parents, teachers and faith reps – had pressed for a working group to look at the possibility of a Catholic secondary school in Aberdeen.
After failing to win over the external members and losing the vote last month, Mr Greig escalated the matter to full council.
It was a decision that “wasn’t the result of a great deal of thought,” according to Catholic education committee rep John Murray.
St Joseph’s RC School parent council chairman JJ Welsh characterised it as: “I don’t like it, it’s my ball, I’m taking it away, game’s over.”
‘Actions speak louder than words’ as council plans school investment
When it reached full council last week, he explained the need for a “strategic, rights-based and inclusive” approach to upgrading all of Aberdeen’s “crumbling” school buildings.
Listing the multi-million-pound plans to improve schools across Aberdeen, including £20 million upgrades to St Peter’s RC School, Mr Greig said: “Actions speak louder than words and we’re actually making a difference instead of just talking about it.
“The approach has to be strategic and our challenge is to review and evaluate all 69 school buildings across the city to find out where we can make the most difference as soon as possible, where can we prioritise our finite resources.”
“And nobody is saying we should never have a Catholic secondary in Aberdeen,” his vice-convener Jessica Mennie added, later revealing Mr Greig’s passion for education was “inspirational” to her as he fought to keep his convenership.
Their words came hours after furious parents blasted how the prospect of even looking into an RC secondary had been taken away from them.
‘Are you feart?’ Furious dad warns sectarianism could scourge Aberdeen
Tony Steppie, the chairman of Holy Family RC School in Mastrick, was incandescent.
He fumed: “I haven’t invested my life, my children, my grandchildren, in this city just to be ignored because I’m a person of faith.
“This city is the best in Scotland and one of the reasons why is faith is irrelevant.
“It doesn’t matter what colour you are… whether you’re green, or you’re orange, or whatever. We are all one city.
“But I have parents at Holy Family from all over the world – Venezuela, Spain, Poland, India, Ukraine, Ethiopia, I can go on – and I’m struggling to explain to them why they feel like second class citizens.
“Aberdeen isn’t about that. We are lucky not to have the scourge of sectarianism up here. But [the SNP and Lib Dems] are making it a deal.
He added: “I’ve never experienced anti-Catholic sentiment in Aberdeen.
“The only time I’ve ever experienced sectarianism is when I’ve been down Pittodrie and we’ve been playing Celtic or Rangers and you’re either F****n or you’re orange. But that’s football.
“This city isn’t known for that, and don’t make it so.
“A working group on a Catholic secondary is going to cost you nothing so fit’s the big deal?
“Are you feart in case the working group comes back saying there’s demand?
“Is money that tight? If so, just be honest and say ‘We’re really skint we canna afford the £10m or whatever it is’.”
An Aberdeen Catholic secondary school could cost £120m
However, faced with a tireless stream of questions, council bosses told a different story.
Families and communities executive director Eleanor Sheppard highlighted a new secondary school would cost around 12 times what Mr Steppie’s suggested £10m.
The newly planned Hazlehead Academy is budgeted at £120m.
Even suggestions of one of Aberdeen’s existing 11 secondaries being converted to a Catholic school would pose problems: with certification of staff, change to school zoning and “potentially high churn” of staff who didn’t sign up to work in an RC school in the first place.
And the cost could be greater yet, with Mrs Sheppard warning the working group would be a “fairly significant time commitment” which could waylay work to upgrade other schools across Aberdeen.
The Press and Journal recently reported on fears of an ongoing “schools emergency” in Aberdeen – with officials taking more than 14 months to work out how many pupils will enrol in coming years.
Education convener taken to task
A post-mortem of the feasibility study into the RC schools also took place, after the council “let themselves down” with the consultation.
However, it was the trial of Martin Greig – and subsequent vote of no confidence he survived – which added much of the heat to the occasion.
“There seems to be a baptism over here,” Conservative group leader Richard Brooks quipped, as he spilled a plastic cup of water all over the wooden desk.
As he accepted tissues and distractedly soaked up the mess, he urged the education convener to recuse himself from the vote… and even resign.
Mid-mop, Mr Brooks suggested Mr Greig’s position as an elder with the Protestant Church of Scotland was a conflict of interest in considering Catholic schooling.
Council legal boss Alan Thomson opined that every councillor would have a belief, and that its “up to them to determine whether it has a bearing on their decision”.
With water pooling on the empty, sodden leather chair separating Mr Brooks from Mr Greig, the Tory fired on: “My beliefs, my religion, are about freedom and liberty in Christ. It asks certain things of me and what I do.
“It does not impose any restriction on you and what you do.
“Not everyone feels the same about their faith which is why I asked for clarity and transparency in the decisions that were made – no one really understands why Councillor Greig [referred this to council].
“The question remains… why? There’s a perception here that needs to be quashed.”
‘You made my life hell!’ Years of fury unleashed in row over Catholic schooling
As he finished, Mr Greig pointed Mr Brooks to a puddle he had yet to wipe up.
And the downpour continued.
Mr Greig’s Hazlehead, Queens Cross and Countesswells ward colleague Councillor Mrs Jennifer Stewart was vociferous as she called upon her human right of freedom of expression.
The former Liberal Democrat spat: “I still wear the scars from when, in 2017, I became an independent…
“My God, you lot made my life hell!… and still continue to do so, on occasion – including Councillor Greig.
“Not even speaking to me, nothing, blocking the corridors. My God!
“And now [the SNP and Lib Dems] are rallying for someone who did something horrendous? I’m staggered.”
‘Don’t be spineless, declare what you are’
The Roman Catholic added: “You are turning Aberdeen into anti-Catholic, anti-Protestant. You’re creating that divide.
“Councillor Greig, you are deluded in your memory. ‘Actions speak louder than words’?
“And if you are a politician, you should declare what you are.
“I don’t take any lectures. How about a bit of transparency? Don’t be spineless, have some backbone, it would be refreshing to see that.
“We’re always declaring things in this chamber so what’s wrong with declaring what you are?
“I speak as I find and I certainly find Councillor Greig, in my view, has a conflict of interest.”
Meanwhile, Salvation Army member Councillor Barney Crockett said there had been a “catastrophic decline in confidence” in Mr Greig.
“The view [of the SNP and Lib Dems] seems to be that the beatings will continue until morale improves.”
‘Truly offensive’ to challenge councillors on religious beliefs
However, Mr Greig’s Lib Dem group leader Ian Yuill hit back at the personal attacks at Mr Greig, the most “decent, kind and honourable person” he’s met in the last three decades.
He also was first to hit out at the idea that councillors should have to declare their religious beliefs for their voices to be heard.
“I have been a councillor for more than 30 years and today is the first time I have ever been challenged to reveal my religion,” the agnostic, who listed histories with the Scottish Episcopal Church, Church of Scotland Sunday school, and his daughter’s Catholic background, said.
“I find that truly offensive. It shouldn’t matter what someone’s religion or lack of religion or beliefs or views of the world are.
“We are all here to represent constituents and the city and to bring our best abilities to the decisions we make. It shouldn’t be founded upon what religion you are. That is truly offensive.
“Why should one person of faith have to exclude themselves when others of different or the same faith or no faith be fine remain?
“Councillor Greig acted entirely properly and to suggest otherwise is, choosing my words carefully as I’m very angry, inappropriate.
‘We’re better than that’: Attacks based on faith ‘absolutely condemned’
Vice-convener of education Ms Mennie added her “absolute condemnation” for any suggestion Mr Greig should withdraw based on his faith.
“There really needs to be reflection about how that could be seen as outright discrimination. So please let’s not go that road, we’re better than that.”
As the gruelling fight went on, Councillor Miranda Radley was angry to the point of near tears.
Much of that was due to an off-mic heckle from Mrs Stewart, who – according to a number of people in the chamber – reiterated her belief that only a parent should be able to serve as education convener.
She denied saying it, though Mrs Stewart told The Press and Journal she was “fed up” of non-parents making decisions about schools.
Personal attacks ‘totally degrade’ Aberdeen City Council chamber
Incensed, Ms Radley hit back: “I’m not a parent however I will continue to make decisions in the best interests of the young people in the city.
“I would like to make it very clear we are elected in our own rights and we all bring different life experiences, backgrounds, religions and skills to this council.
“I am quite angry about this because this chamber is supposed to representative of the people and the comments from Councillor Mrs Stewart have totally degraded my expectations of this chamber.
“And I find it quite disrespectful that she brings up age, religion and all these other things that I think are of benefit to this council.
“I do not agree with her comments. I do not condone her comments.”
Aberdeen Catholic secondary school talks parked
Amid widespread dissent on the opposition benches, the SNP and Lib Dems won the vote to have officials monitor pupil numbers at Aberdeen’s Catholic schools for a year.
They’ll come back with recommendations on their future as part of the wider schools estate plan next year, and there will be no working group on proposals for an RC secondary.
Bishop Hugh Gilbert of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen has urged councillors to reconsider and “open dialogue”, while the National Secular Society breathed a sigh of “relief”.
And Mr Greig survived his confidence vote too, remaining education convener.
Meanwhile, Aberdeen’s wait for news on the city centre bus gates continued, as the clock ran out and talks were delayed for another week.
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