“I think – I know – I break all records for being reported to the Standards Commission and I hope there will not be further complaint… but you know, I take that with me.”
Throwing punches like the obscure Olympic boxer he would later reference, ex-Labour councillor Barney Crockett might well be in the dog house again…
The former lord provost came under fire as the unaligned independent members grew ever-more outspoken on the key crises at the city council.
It comes as Aberdeen faces the prospect of crippling industrial action and Raac homeowners are still left in limbo.
In the red corner, Barney Crockett
Tensions escalated during a lengthy meeting this week.
As the “uninfluential” SNP and Liberal Democrats resolved to press on as they were with their response to the Torry housing emergency, Mr Crockett stood up.
He announced: “Disraeli described the Liberal government as a row of extinct volcanoes.
“Now the difference is, that would be a disservice to volcanoes because at one point they were active.”
And when the administration gave the so-called “weaselly” assurance that “fire and rehire” plans to restructure the workforce would only be used as a “last resort”, he was back on his feet again.
“I thought the administration would prove me wrong,” Mr Crockett began…
“My comments about extinct volcanoes, the trenchant, biting, crushing comments from councillors…
“There’s bound to be a huge number of SNP councillors jumping to their feet to make – justifiable or not – comments about others.
“When I was a young man, there was a boxer called Ingemar Johansson. A world champion at one point…”
Mr Crockett continued: “Before that, he was disqualified in the Olympic heavyweight final for the disgraceful action of not punching.
“He defended himself but took no aggressive action – and they didn’t allow him a medal, the Swedish anthem, he was in total disgrace.”
Battlin’ Barney Crockett packs a punch
Putting up his “toonder and lightning” fists, the provoking pugilist added: “Now, he wasn’t as bad as the SNP councillors ‘cos he did defend himself.
“They won’t even do that.”
The diatribe continued, taking in a famous fictional detective next…
Mr Crockett went on: “Now, Sherlock Holmes solved the case by ‘the dog that didn’t bark’.
“Well, we’ve a whole list of dogs there. They’ve made a dog’s breakfast according to (Labour group leader) Councillor Malik earlier.
“But they are not fighting.”
‘Sit!’ councillor told as she demands apology for being called a dog
It was then that his SNP colleague in the Dyce, Bucksburn and Danestone ward stood up.
“LORD PROVOST!” Councillor Gill Al-Samarai, demanded.
“I object to being called a dog and I would like Councillor Crockett to remove that remark.”
Disinterestedly, Mr Crockett doggedly dismissed that: “Anyway, I will carry on.”
They traded blows.
Mrs Al-Samarai twice more pressed for an apology.
She was encouraged to “please sit down” as Mr Crockett would “not be apologising, not at all”.
Lord Provost David Cameron promised to “deal with it”… before immediately inviting his predecessor to “keep going”.
Suggesting he would keep Mr Crockett on a short leash, the lord provost soon added: “At the end of the meeting I will expect you to make an apology.”
But then, maybe punch-drunk from a meeting that went beyond the scheduled 12 rounds, he seemed to let him off.
And in the other corner, the Lady Provost
That was until his wife, Lady Provost Helen Cameron, interjected as councillors headed for the door.
“Excuse me Lord Provost, I would like to back my colleague here,” she said.
“And I’d like to say actually… you demand respect from the other side.
“Respect is a two-way thing. You sit and you jeer. You sit and you laugh.
“So can we please have that apology that Councillor Al-Samarai is due?”
Mr Cameron dutifully probed, “Mr Crockett?”
Barney Crockett: ‘I won’t apologise’
“Is the meeting still on, Lord Provost?” was the reply.
“Regretfully, I will not be apologising,” former council leader Mr Crockett added.
“I have Councillor Al-Samarai in highest possible regard. I did not mean any derogatory use.
“I was referring an analogy to a very famous story of Sherlock Holmes.
“And I did not intend any, for example, sexualised, use of the term ‘dogs’ at all.
“I would deprecate myself if I did. But I certainly did not.
“I think – I know – I break all records for being reported to the Standards Commission and I hope there will not be further complaint… but you know, I have take that with me.”
The room clearing, the lord provost channelled Johansson and pulled his punches.
The SNP group was asked whether they would be taking their complaint any further.
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