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Report burn councillors reported to standards watchdog First Minister Nicola Sturgeon condemns report burn councillors
(35 minutes later)
A group of SNP councillors who burned a copy of the report into increasing the Scottish Parliament's powers are being referred to the standards watchdog. Scotland's first minister has condemned a group of SNP councillors who burned a copy of the report on strengthening the Scottish Parliament's powers.
A video of the burning of the Smith Commission report by the three elected Renfrewshire Council members was posted online, but later removed. A video of the burning of the Smith Commission document by the three elected Renfrewshire Council members was posted online, but later removed.
The authority's Labour leader, Mark MacMillan, said he was raising the issue with the standards commission. Nicola Sturgeon told ITV Border their actions were "unacceptable".
Scottish government minister Alex Neil called the stunt "a silly prank". The councillors will be referred to the standards watchdog by the council's Labour leader Mark MacMillan.
But the social justice secretary added that it was "hardly a hanging offence".
SNP councillors Brian Lawson, Will Mylet and Mags MacLaren staged the burning outside Renfrewshire Council's headquarters, with the video of the event reposted on YouTube.SNP councillors Brian Lawson, Will Mylet and Mags MacLaren staged the burning outside Renfrewshire Council's headquarters, with the video of the event reposted on YouTube.
Opposition parties criticised those involved and called for First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to "react swiftly". Reacting to the event, Ms Sturgeon told ITV Border: "I absolutely condemn it - it is unacceptable behaviour.
"We all have strong, passionate views on the future of Scotland. I believe Scotland should be an independent country. People are entitled to express those views robustly and passionately.
"But setting fire to something because you don't agree with it is unacceptable behaviour and the councillors in question will be left in no doubt about my views of their conduct."
Ms Sturgeon's comments were stronger than earlier remarks by her social justice secretary Alex Neil, who described the stunt as "a silly prank", adding that it was "hardly a hanging offence".
The councillors carried out the burning after the 28-page report, which set out a list of new powers to be handed from Westminster to the Scottish Parliament, was published last week.The councillors carried out the burning after the 28-page report, which set out a list of new powers to be handed from Westminster to the Scottish Parliament, was published last week.
'Government strategy''Government strategy'
The cross-party commission, which included the SNP, was set up by Prime Minister David Cameron in the wake of the independence referendum "No" vote, but Scottish ministers said its final recommendations fell short of delivering the powers Scotland needed.The cross-party commission, which included the SNP, was set up by Prime Minister David Cameron in the wake of the independence referendum "No" vote, but Scottish ministers said its final recommendations fell short of delivering the powers Scotland needed.
As the councillors set fire to a document above a bin, Mr Mylet said: "The Smith Commission report - this is exactly what we think about it.As the councillors set fire to a document above a bin, Mr Mylet said: "The Smith Commission report - this is exactly what we think about it.
"No real powers for Scotland yet again from Westminster. We've been lied to again.""No real powers for Scotland yet again from Westminster. We've been lied to again."
As he dropped it into the bin he added: "There you go Gordon Brown - cheers."As he dropped it into the bin he added: "There you go Gordon Brown - cheers."
Mr Lawson then said: "Happy St Andrew's Day."Mr Lawson then said: "Happy St Andrew's Day."
Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Neil said: "The people involved have already withdrawn this from YouTube and recognised the mistake they've made. Scottish Labour's interim leader, Anas Sarwar, said Ms Sturgeon needed to apologise personally to Lord Smith, who chaired the commission, and to the whole of Scotland.
"It's a silly prank. I would hardly call it a hanging offence. He said: "The first minister claims she wants to speak for all of Scotland, whether they voted 'Yes' or 'No'.
"I don't see how you can correlate a silly prank by a handful of individuals in Paisley with the overall strategy of the Scottish government and the SNP. "If she does not want to fail this test at the first hurdle, she must take immediate action to control the elements of her party who, through their disgraceful behaviour, appear determined to stir up division and grievance."
"John Swinney [Scotland's deputy first minister] and the first minister have made it absolutely clear we are very committed to taking forward the Smith process." Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said Sturgeon's remarks were to her credit, but added: "The longer term challenge for the first minister is that these senior SNP members are not lone voices.
'Strong signal' "So many nationalists rose to the defence of the councillors in defiance of the SNP leadership."
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "I would expect Nicola Sturgeon to react swiftly to this silly and offensive nonsense. "Nicola Sturgeon still has a challenge to convince us her party stands for all of Scotland rather than just the 45% who backed her in the referendum."
"What these SNP councillors fail to understand is that they are condemning a report that their own party endorsed - they are clearly still progressing through the five stages of grief after the referendum. Commenting on the incident earlier, Mr Neil told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "It's a silly prank. I would hardly call it a hanging offence.
"This is a test for Nicola Sturgeon's leadership. Will she tolerate this or send a strong signal to her members that there must be no more inappropriate stunts like this?" "I don't see how you can correlate a silly prank by a handful of individuals in Paisley with the overall strategy of the Scottish government and the SNP."
Scottish Labour's interim leader, Anas Sarwar, said: "This is disgusting and disrespectful behaviour from three SNP councillors.
"Scots will rightly be disturbed that public representatives feel they can go around burning documents, even ones which their party signed up to."