A LABOUR politician has been criticised after taking on a top job with the Orange Order.
Airdrie councillor Ian McNeil is to be the new executive officer of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland.
The shock appointment left one Labour parliamentarian declaring that Jeremy Corbyn’s party was more welcoming to Orangemen than it was to Jewish people.
McNeil’s new job is the only full-time salaried role within the Protestant organisation.
His appointment was announced by the lodge on Friday, with grand master Jim McHarg saying he was “delighted to congratulate Ian on his appointment” and that the councillor had “held many roles within the membership of the organisation for a number of years”.
McHarg added: “As a local councillor, we know that Ian has helped constituents of all faiths, backgrounds, and political persuasions and achieves great satisfaction at helping others in his local area.
“Ian will continue to serve his constituents as a local councillor in the same way that many other councillors from all political parties have careers and interests outside of their civic duties.”
McNeil’s new job, which he starts in early August, will involve promoting the Orange Order and “defending the rights of people of all faiths to celebrate their own culture and religion as part of a modern Scottish society”.
McNeil is a junior depute grand master and heads up the Central Scotland County Grand Lodge.
On his register of interests at North Lanarkshire council, he also declares that he’s a member of Airdrie St John Freemasons.
Tommy Sheppard, SNP MP for Edinburgh East, told the Sunday Times: “It beggars belief that running an anti-Catholic organisation is not incompatible with holding elected office on behalf of the Labour Party.
“Most right-minded Labour Party supporters will find it surprising that this can be allowed under Labour rules. It’s surely high time this was reviewed.”
A Scottish Labour spokesman said that being a member or office holder in other organisations “does not in itself prohibit a person from being a member or holding elected office in the party”.
He added: “The rule is that this membership is declared in any register of interests, and Councillor McNeil has declared both his membership and position.”
However, one Labour parliamentarian told the paper that “these days it appears it’s fine to be an Orangeman in the party but not ok to be Jewish”.
Thousands of marchers took to the streets of Glasgow earlier this month for the annual Battle of the Boyne celebration parade. Last year, a priest was spat on outside his church as an Orange walk went past.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article