This is the type of person that the dearly departed Leader had rewarded with positions of responsibility throughout Glasgow. His largesse was also extended to key players in the opposition; he wasn’t stupid, he realised that it was in his interest to keep them on side. The leader of the Liberal Democrats, was created Chair of the body who monitors these quangos. The glorious ex-Leader has been repaid by the support of the Liberal Democrats in preventing an investigation into the whole affair. It appears that the leader of the official opposition, the SNP, was also sitting on one of the boards.

Glasgow has the title of the unhealthiest city in Britain; we can expect to live many years less than anyone else in the country. The Council tried to blame the ills on poverty and deprivation, but that has not stood up to scrutiny. The poor life expectancy travels through all social classes. If we are honest with ourselves we can perhaps see some of the problems. We drink too much, do too little exercise and are not really interested in the pollution we are causing. When I raised the issue of Glasgow’s poor air quality, other councillors fell about laughing.