A TV producer has warned that Scottish Labour Party secretary Jack
McConnell will face a ''rough ride'' tonight in a televised debate from
Monklands East.
Words with Wark, to be broadcast on BBC1 at 10.10pm, is expected to
target allegations of nepotism, sectarianism, and corruption in
Monklands District Council.
Last night, constituency MP, Mrs Helen Liddell, confirmed she would
not take part in the programme.
She said that no specific reason was given by producer, Mr Alan
Clements, as to why the debate had to take place in Monklands,
especially since an independent public inquiry was already taking place
into the council's conduct.
''Elected members are not at the beck and call of television companies
but are there to serve their local constituents. I believe this
programme is not in the best interests of my constituents by merely
making these issues a sideshow,'' she said.
Mr Tom Clarke, Labour MP for neighbouring Monklands West, also
confirmed he had declined an invitation to take part because of a prior
engagement in the Commons.
In an article in The Herald today by researcher Gail Birnie and Mr
Clements, husband of the programme presenter Kirsty Wark, Mr McConnell
is warned: ''If the local anger we found is anything to go by, he is in
for a rough ride.''
Part of the debate revolves around the argument that if 15 years is
too long for the Tories to be in power at Westminster, then Labour's
19-year grip of Strathclyde is also too long.
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