Latest news with #ToddFerguson
Daily Record
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Politician quits Conservatives saying party has lost its 'moral authority'
Todd Fergsuon quit the party after saying he came from a 'proud Conservative family'. Highly outspoken North Ayrshire Tory Councillor Todd Ferguson has sensationally quit the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, after voicing concerns about the treatment of an MSP in the party. And he will serve the rest of his term as an independent although he is apportioning no blame to the party and their supporters in North Ayrshire. The shock decision will leave the former opposition party with just five members in Cunninghame House. Ferguson believes his party have lost their "moral authority". He said on his X page: 'The way Meghan Gallacher MSP, an exceptional politician and inspirational young mother, has been treated by this party, after having the courage and confidence to stand in the leadership contest and then for bravely speaking out about bullying and threatening behaviour, is appalling. 'A complaint was made in good faith. Instead of handling it with the discretion and seriousness it deserved, senior figures have weaponised the findings by leaking them to the Daily Mail to launch another cowardly smear campaign against Meghan. 'That's not just a failure of process, it's a failure of character. For me, this is the final straw in a long and growing list. " The North Coast cllr added: 'I come from a proud Conservative family. My grandparents believed in hard work, responsibility, and country, values the party once championed. 'My mum, at just seven years old, chalked 'Vote Tory' on the pavement outside her home on Shettleston Road, a bold act of conviction in the heart of Glasgow's East End, and one that drew condemnation from her mum who told her to wash it off so as to not offend Mrs Queen who lived in the tenement next to them, and a lifelong Labour voter. They were true Conservatives, always thinking of others. 'That early passion never left my mum. She went on to become Branch Secretary in Cunninghame North and served as campaign manager for Phil Gallie, John Corrie, and Richard Wilkinson, all dedicated public servants. 'Our front living room in West Kilbride regularly became a hub of political activity, with association meetings, campaign headquarters, and charity fundraising all being hosted around our coffee table. 'My grandparents and parents were proud Conservatives, people of principle and quiet strength. This legacy shaped me. And it makes my disillusionment all the more painful. What the Conservative Party has become today is not something my family would recognise, nor something I can continue to stand behind. 'This is a party that has lost its way, its moral authority, and its integrity. It no longer upholds conservative values, it twists them, abandons them, and then talks of 'common sense' as if that excuses the rot at its core. 'There are far too many career politicians in this party who are in it for themselves, not the country. They posture, play games, and spin narratives while ordinary people are crying out for leadership, decency, and competency. It is little wonder the party is being punished in by-elections and polls right across the UK. "I want to be clear: my decision is not a reflection on the North Ayrshire and Arran Association, my local councillor group, or the voters from across the political divide who put their trust in me. They have been nothing short of outstanding. But I will not be complicit in propping up a party that now punishes integrity and protects arrogance. 'I will serve the remainder of my council term as an Independent. And I'll be watching carefully, as many are, to see what new political movement may rise to give voice to the decent, forgotten working class majority in Britain.' Ferguson's decision to leave the party comes just seven months after former party colleagues Matthew McLean and Stewart Ferguson left to join Reform.
Daily Record
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Scots Tory councillor quits after blasting 'cowardly smear campaign' against female MSP
EXCLUSIVE: Todd Ferguson said his party had "lost its way, its moral authority, and its integrity" over the way Meghan Gallacher been treated. A Scots Tory councillor has quit the party after claiming an MSP has been the victim of a 'cowardly smear campaign' by senior Conservatives. Todd Ferguson said Meghan Gallacher had been treated 'appallingly' after raising concerns about bullying and insisted the party "lost its way, its moral authority, and its integrity." Gallacher was one of the candidates in a bitter contest last year that was won by Russell Findlay. She lodged a complaint amid claims Tory MP John Lamont had told members she was dropping out of the race. Lamont, strongly denied the allegations and said at the time he was considering legal action. On social media, Ferguson, who was hired by Gallacher to work in her office, quit the party after posting an excoriating resignation statement. The North Ayrshire councillor said: 'The way Meghan Gallacher MSP, an exceptional politician and inspirational young mother, has been treated by this party, after having the courage and confidence to stand in the leadership contest and then for bravely speaking out about bullying and threatening behaviour, is appalling. 'A complaint was made in good faith. Instead of handling it with the discretion and seriousness it deserved, senior figures have weaponised the findings by leaking them to the Daily Mail to launch another cowardly smear campaign against Meghan. That's not just a failure of process, it's a failure of character. 'For me, this is the final straw in a long and growing list. 'This is a party that has lost its way, its moral authority, and its integrity. It no longer upholds conservative values, it twists them, abandons them, and then talks of 'common sense' as if that excuses the rot at its core.' He added: 'There are far too many career politicians in this party who are in it for themselves, not the country. They posture, play games, and spin narratives while ordinary people are crying out for leadership, decency, and competency. It is little wonder the party is being punished in by-elections and polls right across the UK. 'I want to be clear: my decision is not a reflection on the North Ayrshire and Arran Association, my local councillor group, or the voters from across the political divide who put their trust in me. They have been nothing short of outstanding. 'But I will not be complicit in propping up a party that now punishes integrity and protects arrogance. 'I will serve the remainder of my council term as an Independent. And I'll be watching carefully, as many are, to see what new political movement may rise to give voice to the decent, forgotten working class majority in Britain.' Findlay's Tories have been rocked by a spate of defections to Reform UK. Opinion polls show the Tories could come fourth at the Holyrood election.
Daily Record
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
North Ayrshire Tory claims 20mph limit is part of 'climate change madness'
He said the policy was all about pleasing the Scottish Government. Bold efforts by the North Ayrshire Tory Group to put the brakes on the Cabinet's support of the Scottish Government's National Strategy for 20mph in Urban areas and approve the implementation of 20mph speed limits stalled on Thursday. At a fiery meeting of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee, the Conservative Group asked Cabinet to: Suspend the implementation of the 20mph speed limit across all roads, pending the outcome of a full review of cost effectiveness, enforceability, and public consultation and to commission an impact assessment as well as taking feedback from a public consultation. Supporting the call-in, North Coast cllr Todd Ferguson said he had been contacted by local business and constituents concerned about the plans. He said: 'As Conservatives we fully support efforts on road safety but believe they must be targeted, evidence-based and proportionate and what is being suggested for the blanket 20mph limit simply does not meet that criteria. 'In North Ayrshire road fatalities remain consistently low although one death is one death too many. 'UK wide we see that when you change signs it limits reduction of speed by only one mile per hour and that changes to 10mph if you include traffic calming but that is not being proposed. 'We had success in Burnhouse and Gateside in getting changes to speed but it did not change behaviour - you had a driver going at 90mph in Burnhouse. We need enforcement but resources are already stretched." Tory Group Leader Cameron Inglis suggested the policy was "smoke and mirrors" and was all about pleasing the Scottish Government by persuading people to stop using their cars as "part of this climate change madness". Tony Gurney, Cabinet member for the Environment and Green Economy said: 'This is more than a transport policy - it's an investment in public safety. 'This is not a blanket, it has been consulted throughout North Ayrshire. Implementation is recommended only where we see a clear safety benefit. We will implement 20mph zones and that is an opportunity for enforcement by police. 'It is not about flowing traffic, it is about safety. According to the Department of Transport the chances of pedestrians being killed more than halves when speed is reduced to 20mph from 30mph. "A child hit by a car has a one in five chance of dying in 30mph in 20mph drops dramatically to one in 40. 'The British Medical Journal links 20mph to a 40 per cent reduction in road casualties. "Lives are saved, injuries prevented, NHS costs reduced. Lower speeds give drivers time to react. That extra second can be different between a close call and a tragedy." Independent cllr Donald L Reid said: "I was in office with the Police from 1967 to 1999 and this encompasses what it is all about, speed kills. "Anything we can do to reduce speed must be a priority. If we can keep speed down to 20mph that is sensible and with a bit of hard work we can probably achieve this. "We saw how drink driving became unacceptable, how wearing seatbelts became the norm and helmets for cyclists and motorcyclists helped save many lives, I don't see how we can't make our streets safer.' A motion to reject the call-in, allowing the policy to stand, defeated an amendment by the Tory Group to accept the call-in and send the matter back to the cabinet for further consideration by six votes to three.
Daily Record
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
North Ayrshire Conservative group rail against 20mph zone plans
The group called on the council to suspend the implementation of the new rules. Angry Tories have 'called in' controversial plans agreed by North Ayrshire Council to implement the controversial 20mph speed limit on urban roads. They suggest it will dilute police and council resources and adversely affect public transport efficiency. North Ayrshire Council Cabinet earlier this month noted the Scottish Government's National Strategy for 20mph in Urban areas and agreed the implementation of 20mph speed limits on appropriate roads as detailed in the implementation plans. A request was received in terms of the call-in procedure set out in the council's Scheme of Administration and Standing Orders, that the Audit and Scrutiny Committee examine the decision taken by the Cabinet at their meeting next Thursday, June 19. The call-in request, which was signed by Conservative councillors Todd Ferguson, Scott Gallacher and Ronnie Stalker is in the following terms: 'The Scottish Government's National 20mph Strategy is aspirational in tone but experimental in scope. While well-intentioned, its widespread implementation lacks sufficient evidence of efficacy, especially on roads already exhibiting average speeds below 25mph. 'This policy, if adopted without amendment, risks diluting police and Council resources, adversely affecting public transport efficiency, and imposing unjustifiable burdens on the public purse—contrary to the financial prudence owed to North Ayrshire's taxpayers. 'The strategy also raises legitimate legal and democratic concerns regarding adequacy of consultation, particularly among working residents, rural communities, and small business owners who will bear the practical consequences of slower road speeds and delayed logistics. 'As a matter of public administration, the council must guard against overreach in regulatory intervention without evidence-based justification and must uphold the principle of proportionality, particularly when imposing restrictions on public freedoms. 'The Conservative Group respectfully calls upon Cabinet to: Suspend the blanket implementation of the 20mph speed limit across all roads identified in Appendix 1, pending the outcome of a full review of cost-effectiveness, enforceability, and public consultation. Commission an independent impact assessment, consistent with principles of Best Value as defined in the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, before any further capital expenditure is incurred. Adopt a targeted and proportionate approach, taking into account the feedback from the public consultation referenced above and elected members, with 20mph zones restricted to locations supported by empirical safety data—such as near schools, care facilities, or recorded accident black spots.' The Elected Members who have submitted the call-in will be invited to address the Committee to explain the respective call-in request. The appropriate Cabinet Member will then be invited to clarify the reasons for the decision. The relevant senior officer will also be present to provide information on the report presented to Cabinet and on issues raised by the call-in received. The committee will have an opportunity to ask questions of both parties and of those officers in attendance.
