THE Labour leader of Scotland’s largest local authority has been accused of “shameless electioneering” after it emerged he plans to tour high schools ahead of local authority elections in which senior pupils can vote for the first time.
Head teachers have been urged to reject Glasgow City Council leader Frank McAveety’s request to introduce himself to pupils, including 16- and 17-year-olds entitled to vote in May’s ballot.
Unions are concerned the timing – just three months before he will seek re-election – is “inappropriate”.
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They said the tour planned by Cllr McAveety, who wants his use the visits to promote his role and discuss local issues, was a “no-no” this close to an election.
Seamus Searson, General Secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, said members were advised to give politics a wide berth both in the classroom and in their personal lives, adding that politicians should similarly avoid schools.
He said: “If the councillor is purely local and talking about local matters that might be appropriate but even that, at this stage, that would not be the case.
“Schools should not be allowing councillors in to potentially promote their own political cause.
“If Glasgow City Council politicians are thinking of going in to schools it’s appropriate for schools to say no to that at this time.
Mr Searon added: “If they want to promote their work it’s something they should have done long ago.”
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Mr McAveety’s Labour administration faces a major challenge to retain power on May 4.
Leaked documents from Labour’s own internal polling suggest it is braced for a near wipe-out its heartlands with the party trailing the Tories in many of its core constituencies.
The figures suggested around one quarter of Labour’s support had transferred to the Scottish Conservatives since 2015.
Glasgow City Council insists the planned visits by Cllr McAveety, of which nine schools are accepted, were “a chance for the pupils to ask Mr McAveety about being leader of the council, what it’s like being a politician and discuss local issues that are pertinent to them”.
A spokesman added that schools routinely accept and invite elected members, MPs, MSPs “to provide debate and discussion as part of the wider school curriculum”.
One teaching source said: “There were eyebrows raised that Frank McAveety is emailing schools to come in to talk to senior students about the role of the council. No-one is aware of this being done before but oddly enough these kids can vote now.”
A spokesman for the council’s SNP group said the visits were “desperate stuff”.
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Susan Quinn, secretary of the EIS union in Glasgow, said the visits can often be a valuable experience for pupils, but added: “It is also often a tricky situation to ensure it does become party political and there is political balance.
"In this instance it is worth asking if the timing is sensible. If Mr McAveety is keen to promote voter engagement with first-time voters perhaps he should have been accompanied by a representative from another party to ensure there is balance."
A council spokeswoman said the visits are “for the councillor to talk to the pupils about how the council works, what it does, what statutory duties it has and the services it provides to citizens. The idea is for the councillor to engage with young people, demystify the council and get them interested in what some see as boring subject matter.”
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