Aberdeen SNP leader accused of ‘misleading the public’ as leaked asylum seeker email sparks council implosion

Aberdeen’s SNP leader Christian Allard has been accused of “misleading the public” as tempers flared over a leaked Home Office email about asylum seekers.

The Torry councillor was grilled by opposition members during an emergency meeting on Friday, at a time of rising tensions over former student halls being used by the UK Government.

Mr Allard previously claimed he had only heard of plans to move asylum seekers into Farmers Hall and Don Street blocks “the day before and the day of” them moving in.

He had come out against the proposal, claiming the UK Government would be breaching planning rules.

However, a leaked email showed he and other group leaders knew about the Home Office’s proposals almost a month in advance.

It was this that formed the basis of Friday’s crunch gathering – as Mr Allard faced a bombardment of questions in the Town House.

And there were also questions on the top secret document in question, which was marked classified by council chiefs.

It is thought that it was first leaked to SNP MSP Kevin Stewart – who then raised concerns with The Press and Journal in late August.

The “whodunnit” inquiry in the chambers yielded no answers, however.

And Mr Allard told The P&J that, to the best of his knowledge, none of his fellow nationalist councillors would “have any reason” to send it to anyone else.

Why was Christian Allard accused of misleading public?

In an article published on September 13, Mr Allard told us he had first heard of asylum seekers moving into student accommodation the day before, and of, refugees arriving at the Rosemount accommodation.

The full exchange our reporter had with Mr Allard can be seen here:

So how did you learn it was going ahead, last night? This morning? 

Christian Allard: “We had meetings yesterday and today about it.

“They tell us very little. And we need to keep asking to know what’s happening and of course it’s presented to us as a fait accompli, if I can use the French term.

“And there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. And I can tell you that I do understand how much it is difficult for us in the city.”

Shrouding of information was ‘absolutely disgraceful’

All these tensions exploded in a heated meeting on Friday afternoon as it was alleged Mr Allard knowingly misled the public about how much he knew in an attempt to distance himself from the controversial policy.

Former council leader Alex Nicoll said it was “absolutely disgraceful” that Mr Allard appeared to make out he knew less than he really did.

The independent councillor said: “I opened a newspaper and I was very, very surprised at the content of that, that the leaders were left in the dark over relocation.

“It’s certainly did not suggest that we had known about this for some time.

“Leadership is about leading. If we think our communities should know, we should be going out and telling them.

“That’s our job. We are councillors for this city, we have a duty to share our information with them, and to make sure they have accurate information – not some of the nonsense we see on social media.”

Councillor Sandra McDonald even went as far as to say Mr Allard had “consciously and perhaps even deliberately misinformed and misled the public”.

Tensions flare over Aberdeen asylum seekers leaked email

Halfway through the meeting, Tory councillor Ryan Houghton raised the leaked email which revealed that group leaders knew about asylum seekers moving into student flats.

Council legal chiefs confirmed that this email was confidential, and “should not have been shared more widely”.

Labour group leader M Tauqeer Malik branded Mr Allard a “hypocrite” for originally saying he was only made aware very shortly before refugees moved into Farmers Hall.

The Lower Deeside councillor said: “The truth is that Councillor Allard received a confidential briefing on the 13th of August, which set out the intentions of the Home Office.

“You have to ask yourself how Kevin Stewart MSP obtained information and provided this information to media.

“Councillor Allard sits here and pretends he is in favour of helping asylum seekers, he sits and pretends he is compassionate to their needs…”

At one point in the talks, Lord Provost David Cameron had to call a five-minute recess to allow tempers to cool.

What did Christian Allard have to say after meeting drama?

We met Mr Allard as he exited the chamber.

Being brought up on his previous comments possibly being misleading, the council co-leader told The P&J that he “stood by” what he said – and that the dates the Home Office provided were “only indicative”.

Mr Allard stated: “Anything could be deemed misleading. What I would say to clarify that point is that the email in August was very clear.

“The dates were only indicative. So we were waiting to know when or if they were going to do it, because the Home Office plans… We have no way to change their plans.

“They did tell us in August, all elected members knew in August, but it was indicative.

“So yes, I was absolutely right to say ‘that’s it, they just moved’.”

So who leaked Aberdeen asylum seekers email?

When quizzed on this, the SNP group leader said he only knew it wasn’t himself that leaked the email which revealed he and other groups’ top brass knew of the plans.

“I don’t know who had been notified.

“Do they (the Home Office) notify parliamentarians? You can ask them, I have absolutely no idea,” Mr Allard told The P&J.

“I know what I’ve been notified, and in confidence, and I didn’t breach my confidentiality because it’s important not to breach it.

“As far as I know, no one in my group will have any reason to breach my confidentiality.”

[Source: Press and Journal]