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Sturgeon accused of lying over school cuts



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Published Date: 03 May 2008
By DAVID MADDOX
WENDY Alexander, the leader of Scottish Labour, has accused Nicola Sturgeon of lying in a row over cuts to school budgets.
The pair clashed in First Minister's Questions earlier this week when

Ms Alexander claimed Gleniffer High School in Renfrewshire had to cut its Advanced Highers from five to two because of education cuts. She had a letter from Fiona Wilkie, cha
ir of the school's parent council to back her case.

But the Deputy First Minister had been tipped off about the question by SNP-controlled Renfrewshire Council leader Derek Mackay after Ms Alexander's aide, Simon Pia, telephoned the school.

"So desperate and inept" was Ms Alexander, Ms Sturgeon said, that Mr Pia had tried to stir up a political row, causing the headteacher, David Nicholls, to call Mr Mackay and complain. She added the claim Advanced Highers were to be reduced was "totally inaccurate".

But Mr Nicholls called the council press office, not Mr Mackay, and the council admitted Advanced Highers had been cut to two, but a spokesman said it was "almost guaranteed" that this would be for only a year.

Ms Alexander said: "Given the facts, Ms Sturgeon must apologise."

A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said: "There was a misunderstanding over who talked to who, but the substantive accusation made by Ms Alexander was not true."





The full article contains 226 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 02 May 2008 11:30 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

BIG EYE,

Paisley 03/05/2008 01:14:24
Suggest people read the Herald for the real story not the above which is straight Labour propaganda,

Having blundered once again Wendy's overworked damage limitation team are scrambled again!

It really takes the biscuit for her to accuse anyone of lying.

Where are the emails Wendy?
2

a proud doonhamer,

Dumfries 03/05/2008 02:52:45
Lying, Inept and Oblivious... a true description of Wendy and most of Labour.
3

,

03/05/2008 05:54:21
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
4

Jimmy the Pie,

03/05/2008 07:37:50
Or what about the buffoon that sits behind Red Wendy at FMQ's as next leader. He looks like he's never had an original thought in his life. Perfect New Labour Sleaze and Corruption management material
5

Soosider,

Glasgow 03/05/2008 08:17:20
As I understand it, no school at this time of year can guarantee Advanced Highers. They have to identify those that wish to sit them, then those that are qualified to sit them (exams only started this week), then know what teaching staff they will have next year. Clearly there are many variables in the current position. It is too early to be able to guarantee availability of courses. This is common practice across Scotland for many years. It is also common practice for schools to share courses, after all the number sitting some of these courses is very small.
It is appalling that the head teacher has been dragged into this position, but I suspect this has been done by the Parent council who are perhaps playing a political position here.
What is clear is that Ms Alexander misrepresented the position and as such deserves all she gets.
6

ruthie,

lothians 03/05/2008 08:48:33
innacurate and scraping the bottom of the barrel..true of wendy alexander and of this paper.
i agree with you, no school at this stage would guarantee Advanced Highers - this is Wendy, the desperate, flailing clown of scottish politics making a fool of herself at FMQ's again and this newspaper doing everything it can to discredit the only government that, in my opinion, has ever truly worked for the interests of the people of Scotland and not self interest.
7

BIG EYE,

Paisley 03/05/2008 08:49:31
The school in question HOPES to run four advanced highers but this is dependent as pointed out by soosider (6) on demand and uptake amongst pupils and teacher availability.

Wendy was lying...again

Yet another attempt to cover up her dubious actions.

Great Leader!
8

Soosider,

Glasgow 03/05/2008 09:24:35
here is a quote from the Heralds article
"The school has not yet finalised its Advanced Higher course options. The headteacher has committed to offering two courses, and hopes to have enough teachers to offer another two."
Kind of puts a different slant on Ms Alexanders statements.
Education is far too important to be used in this petty points scoring manner, it also helps if the question was properly researched and not used in this disgraceful manner
9

boudica,

03/05/2008 09:28:29
It has since become clearer that neither woman had their stories right. The school has not yet finalised its Advanced Higher course options. The headteacher has committed to offering two courses, and hopes to have enough teachers to offer another two.

It has also become clear Ms Sturgeon was wrong about the headteacher's phone call. Mr Nicholls phoned a council official but not the council leader, and this was only to make clear what he had been told, as required by protocol, and not to complain.

The SNP council leader was told, and later phoned Mr Nicholls.
10

portonian,

falkirk 03/05/2008 10:08:36

WHY SHOULD A LIE GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY

MUST BE LABOUR MOTTO AS PRACTICED BY BENDY WENDY

IF PIA IS EMPLOYED TO COVER WENDY,S ASSSS THE AREA

TO PROTECT GETS BIGGER AND BIGGER AS DAYS GO BY

11

Calum10,

03/05/2008 10:21:21
Red Wendy and her team have been found out telling porkies because the school in question has confirmed it has not yet finalised its Advanced Higher course options.

It is clear that Wendy and others in Team Wendy knew this to be the case because Simon Pia had phoned the school's headmaster on this very matter.

What we have here is the leader of the Labour party spreading scare stories to the concern of teachers, parents and pupils just to smear the SNP.

It is very dirty politics, but such is the ineptitude of Wendy Alexander she was easily found out and humiliated at Holyrood.

If I was a concerned parent in Refrewshire the last person I would want to take up my case would be Wendy Alexander. She is simply not up to the job.

12

 Ayrshire Scot™,

03/05/2008 10:35:08
"The Scottish National Party is marking the first anniversary of its election to power today, as it hits 45% in an opinion poll - its highest-ever rating and a stunning 14 points ahead of Labour."

Where is old Highland Mighty?

13

Queen D,

Glasgow 03/05/2008 10:59:54
Where did you find that Ayrshire?
14

 Ayrshire Scot™,

03/05/2008 11:25:36
14. Queen D- it is from today's Herald.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/news/display.var.2245273.0.Highest_ratings_for_SNP_after_year_in_power.php
15

Queen D,

Glasgow 03/05/2008 12:21:17
Ayrshire , thanks but I can't seem to get on their bl**dy website!
Don't suppose you filled in their wee questionnaire about " how good is our wbsite"?
If you did , I hope you told them the truth!
16

Jimmy the Pie,

03/05/2008 12:38:56
#13 AS

Where is old Highland Mighty?

He might be appearing under a different moniker.

He has a record of such strange behavior
17

 Ayrshire Scot™,

03/05/2008 12:43:39
5. AM2 - from today's Herald

"The school has not yet finalised its Advanced Higher course options. The headteacher has committed to offering two courses, and hopes to have enough teachers to offer another two."

Seems you are lying.
18

Soosider,

Glasgow 03/05/2008 12:50:38
#5 AM2 so what are the 2 lies. As the 'Facts' of the story emerge it is clear that Ms Sturgeon did not lie.
See my previous posts for the real process, see the Herald for quotes from people who know.
"The row centred on a claim by Ms Alexander that parents in Gleniffer High School, Renfrewshire, had been told council cuts would reduce the range of Advanced Higher courses on offer to only two."
"The school has not yet finalised its Advanced Higher course options. The headteacher has committed to offering two courses, and hopes to have enough teachers to offer another two."
The claim by Ms Alexander is patently untrue, as no one other than she sees any cuts, rather there is a process that happens every year for Advanced Highers. That process is not yet complete as it is too early in the Academic year.
It is not hard it is actually very easy to check the facts on this story and they do not support Ms Alexander. You are left only to wander if the statement she made was due to ineptitude or was she deliberately misleading
19

Stu_R_20,

Edinburgh 03/05/2008 15:59:47
#5
You don't seem to have a clue what your talking about mate: It is a school's decision on what Highers and/ or Adv Highers are taught, nothing political, if indeed that was the point you were trying to make.
20

Soosider,

Glasgow 03/05/2008 16:37:18
#22 AM2
I will ask again, so what were the 2 lies you accuse Ms Sturgeon of?
I have just re listened to First Minsters Questions on the BBc Iplayer and would be very interested to hear where you believe she lied.
If there is any untruth it is about 11 minutes in where Ms Alexander having raised the issue of advanced highers then links it to cuts in education, it is clear that she is stating that the concerns of parents are based in her perception of SNP cuts, when in fact there are not any. Rather it is the well established process of deciding Advanced Highers wil be made available. In summary this is a scare story manufactured as far as I can see by Labour
21

Jock Tamson,

Scotland, Caledonia, Alba 03/05/2008 19:54:14
25, AMtwa. The tactic of criticising Labour actions as "scaremongering" has only just begun.

It's based on the fact that Labour have been found out for using "scaremongering" tactics for years. So now, who believes Labour - or indeed any unionist?

 

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