An Aberdeen councillor who was suspended for branding the city’s lord provost a “sexist” and “misogynist” is fighting to overturn the sanction.
Jennifer Stewart was hit with a four-month suspension last August by a standards watchdog over breaching a councillors’ code of conduct but appealed this in the sheriff court.
But her legal battle against the decision is now on hold pending the outcome of a landmark judicial review launched by Glasgow councillor Fiona Higgins, who alleges the same watchdog is denying her a fair hearing over a separate complaint.
View 4 ImagesGlasgow councillor Fiona Higgins also faces a standards probe(Image: Daily Record)
Stewart, independent councillor for the Hazlehead, Queen’s Cross and Countesswells ward in Aberdeen, insists she was blocked from providing witnesses and barracked by the panel at her seven-hour Standards Commission hearing on August 5 last year.
She told the Sunday Mail: “Fiona’s judicial review could have major implications for all 1227 councillors in Scotland.
“My own hearing left me questioning the fairness of the process. I was unable to call witnesses or present evidence I considered important and felt repeatedly interrupted.
“This case will show whether the Standards Commission remains fit for purpose.”
The commission found Stewart had been “disrespectful” to Aberdeen lord provost David Cameron and personally attacked him in council meetings between December 2022 and October 2023. She has always stood by her comments.
Separately, Higgins faces a standards hearing over claims of disrespect to ex-Glasgow City Council finance boss Martin Booth.
In 2024, she accused Booth of “cynically and wilfully misleading” the public about up to 450 local teacher cuts. He in turn complained to the Ethical Standards Commissioner, saying Higgins’ comments breached the councillors’ code of conduct.
View 4 ImagesCourt of Session in Edinburgh(Image: PA)
Now the former teacher is taking the watchdog to the Court of Session alleging she is being prevented from presenting important evidence.
Higgins’ legal action is backed by millionaire musician Paul McManus. Businessman McManus, the drummer of Scottish rock legends Gun, is also funding legal action on behalf of Moira Salmond, Alex Salmond’s widow, to sue the Scottish Government over its handling of harassment claims against the ex-first minister.
We previously told of fears that a culture of censorship is gripping town halls across Scotland 10 years on from a landmark free speech case.
In 2016, ex-independent Argyll and Bute councillor Mike Breslin was cleared of code of conduct charges after “robustly” criticising council officials, based on his rights to political expression.
But a decade later, a series of similar cases – including the complaints against Higgins, Stewart and others – have seen elected councillors hauled before the standards watchdog for criticising powerful local officials.
Higgins previously warned this “weaponising” of codes of conduct was creating a “chilling effect” where many councillors are too afraid to raise serious matters of public interest.
View 4 ImagesSuspended councillor Sid Perrie, 75, who is neurodivergent, pictured with his whippet
The Sunday Mail has also told of the case of Loch Lomond councillor Sid Perrie, who was booted off the national park board and suspended over complaints of “bullying” senior execs.
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The disabled 75-year-old councillor was dragged before the Standards Commission for “discourteous” emails in which he challenged park bosses over a “conflict of interest” in Flamingo Land’s controversial bid to build a holiday resort in Balloch.
Perrie was suspended for six months without pay despite being too unwell to attend his hearing and mount a defence. His team have since appealed the move.
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