The SNP and Green groups said the city's highest honour shouldn't be awarded to organisations, but another way of acknowledging the regiment's anniversary would be explored.
The SNP and Green groups said the city's highest honour shouldn't be awarded to organisations, but another way of acknowledging the regiment's anniversary would be explored.
Cllr James Adams, Labour, brought a motion to yesterday’s full council meeting which called for the honour to be granted to mark the 20th anniversary year of the British Army regiment. But it was defeated by an SNP and Green amendment which stated bestowing the city’s “highest honour” upon an organisation was “inherently problematic”. It added the move would “tie the City of Glasgow in perpetuity to another organisation over which it has no control or oversight”.
The amendment stated the decision was “not a reflection of the Royal Regiment of Scotland or the personnel who serve as part of it”. After the meeting, Cllr Adams said it was “frankly shameful” that the SNP and Greens had blocked his proposal.
“More than 20 councils across Scotland, including Edinburgh and Aberdeen, have already conferred this honour. The motion suggested a ceremony should be organised to confer the freedom of the city of Glasgow upon the royal regiment in “recognition of its historic ties, valued community engagement, and distinguished service”.
It added the Royal Regiment of Scotland, which was formed in March 2006, draws on “more than 390 years of continuous service through its antecedent regiments, including the Royal Scots Fusiliers and the Highland Light Infantry ”. In a speech, Cllr Adams said: “It is important to recognise the service across decades of the regiment and its antecedents who have served at home and overseas with professionalism and dedication.
“That service has come with real sacrifice, since its formation, 23 servicemen have given up their lives for our protection. Many have also suffered life-changing injuries.
“As a city, it is right that we acknowledge that and express our gratitude to those who have served and to those who continue to serve. ”Bailie Norman MacLeod, SNP, said Cllr Adams should have consulted with the Lord Provost and Cllr Abdul Bostani, SNP, the council’s champion for the armed forces, before bringing the motion.
He added: “If we are going to start celebrating, then I would look forward to the reformation of one or many of the ancient Scottish regiments. All of which were destroyed by the UK Ministry of Defence.
“I look forward to some of these regiments being recreated as part of the defence forces, both to defend our country and to help the world in a peacekeeping role from an independent Scotland. That would be something to celebrate. ”Cllr Declan Blench, SNP, said he didn’t think it was “appropriate to confer our city’s highest honours on groups rather than individuals”.
“I think that risks making us hostage to fortune. ” He then suggested armed forces personnel are “being let down by the UK Government” and are “subject to the same pay restraint as other public servants but unable to properly voice their concerns”. Cllr Blench said 90% of Denmark’s armed forces personnel belong to a body which allows them to negotiate salaries, pensions and redundancies.
“This is a model the SNP has long endorsed and it is something Labour used to endorse but has been noticeably absent from recent manifestos,” he added. “It’s baffling to me that the party of workers doesn’t want to improve the lot of working class public sector workers.
” At the end of the debate, Cllr Adams said representations had been made to the Lord Provost’s office but “essentially we have ended up having to do a motion to have it discussed”. He said the “reason given about individuals… doesn’t really hold any water, we’ve done it several times before”. The amendment stated the council “regrets the amalgamation” of historic regiments as “a result of austerity measures at the time”.
It also acknowledged the “long and distinguished record of service of the regiment and its antecedents”, noting some soldiers have suffered loss of life or life-changing injuries and their experiences may have resulted in PTSD, complex trauma, mental ill-health and addictions.
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