The Aboyne school where class photos could be had selected for with or without children with ‘complex needs’ is all over media including wider UK media today.
There’s not a word from the council leader (above) nor any mention of which parties run Aberdeenshire. From the council in June 2023:
Cllr Gillian Owen has been appointed as the Leader of Aberdeenshire Council, by her fellow councillors. The Council Administration comprises Scottish Conservatives & Unionists, Liberal Democrats and Independent councillors who adopt a collective approach to leadership.
An amendment by the SNP, seconded by the Democratic Independent Group, to appoint Cllr Gwyneth Petrie as Council Leader was defeated by 39 votes to 22.
Cllr Owen was first elected to Aberdeenshire Council in 2007 as local member for Ellon & District and served as chair of Audit Committee from 2012, and more recently chair of Education & Children’s Services Committee since 2017. As Council Leader, she will make the move to chair Business Services Committee overseeing corporate services like finance, digital, HR and property.
The reporting makes it very clear who is not responsible for the offensively selective photos:
Aberdeenshire Council said the decision was not taken by the school and the link to the photos was immediately removed.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce5epgp2zdno
So, the decision was taken by the council’s education committee, just by the chair, Owen, or by Tempest Photography because that’s what they’ve always done and no one on the committee disapproved until they were caught out by this parent?
Owen was Constituency Agent for Maidenhead Conservatives (no need for ‘Unionist’ there) from 1996 to 2005. Selective education and parents’ right not to be offended, are, of course, normal there.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
You surely cannot expect BBC Scotland to criticise a unionist council? Be reasonable, man!
Alasdair Macdonald.
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While Tempest Photography are a Cornwall based company I’m sure the BBC are frantically trying to trace their local photographer employee to see if there are any links to the SNP.
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Also sharing today’s headlines are the sad case of the young child in Midlothian who allegedly had her surgery cancelled seven times at the Edinburgh Sick kids hospital and if true is now considered to be inoperable. We all know of course what the inference is… the SNP baaad for building the new hospital.
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O/T
28 March Sir keir Starmer’s speech at launch of campaign for English local elections (snippets)
Podium stated “Britain’s Future” speech launched in Dudley, England (also known as Britain…start of Labour’s campaign in English local elections)
Starmer
“A changed Labour Party ready to serve the interests of working people, or a Conservative Party that has forgotten how to serve anything other than itself”.
So……
(Indeed the Labour party has ‘Changed’ so much tis bearably recognisable from the Labour party which were once assumed to be a left wing party)
Starmer
“Their (Tories) failure is visible in every community in Britain. The sewage in our rivers. The ambulances that don’t come. The schools crumbling over our children’s heads. Mortgage and rent payments – through the roof”
So…..
( every community in Britain ?….sewage in rivers…..ambulances that don’t come…..schools crumbling…..sorry I thought this was a speech for a campaign in LOCAL ENGLISH elections )
Starmer
“rush through a careless Brexit deal”
(would that be the same Brexit that your Labour party say they can “Make work” and where we know you, like the Tories, will try to make it up as you go along….and also try and “rush through” some kind of NON Brexit deal)
Starmer
“My dad was a toolmaker, he worked in a factory”
So….
(Yes we know that as you keep mentioning it in every bloody speech that you give…..give it a rest)
Starmer
“That was the great lesson of the pandemic. It showed exactly who made up the backbone of Britain. The carers, the couriers, the drivers, the teaching assistants, the warehouse workers, the supermarket staff, the nurses and paramedics. The working people of this country, my Labour Party stands with you”
So….
(Aye same workers that you told your ministers NOT to stand with on picket lines…hypocrite)
Starmer
“Britain has an economy that hoards potential and a politics that hoards power”
So….
(aye Britain also hoards all of Scotland’s resources as well while telling Scotland it’s too poor to be independent (as does the Labour party)….ya big Hypocrite)
Starmer
“Change comes from us all. I mean that. The Tory era of politics as performance art is coming to an end”
So……
(well it takes one to know one and in Scotland we are certainly subject to the performance art of Labour playing politics in the past and now….so no “change” there then…see….Jackie Baillie a political artist proficient and adept in the performance art of ‘Playing Politics)
Starmer
“when we look at the opportunities clean energy and new technology can bring, we do so with a national wealth fund, that stands with business, invests in the critical infrastructure our future growth needs, creates 650,000 new jobs – over 60,000 in the East and West Midlands – a plan that will relight the fires of renewal in communities like this”
So………..
(Sorry I thought you said SCOTLAND would be at the HEART of this Green energy movement….oh but for YOU this is far more important to highlight how this will benefit ENGLISH communities if Labour gain power as the next UK government…silly me and also what about your big U turn – another one- on money you pledged that would be invested in this but now, that former amount £28 billion , has been ditched as a former pledge…ya big hypocrite).
Starmer
“ The renewable ports ready for the off-shore boom in the North Sea”
So………
(Careful Keir….let’s not go off message and mention anything but English jobs for English workers to match EVEL…..the North Sea…..where in the North sea ?)
Starmer
“A new Take Back Control act with new powers for mayors over transport, skills, enterprise, energy, planning, rejuvenating our high streets, and new powers to generate growth in every town and city”
So……….
(“Take back control” that is familiar…as in TORY familiar….Mayors in every Town and City…..every Town and City in England that is)
“Imagine if a whole country said: we back your potential. Imagine if a whole country commits, properly to unlocking the pride you have for your community, then look what we could build: a Britain where every contribution is equally respected, where you don’t have to change who you are just to get on, where whatever your background, you can feel certain that your effort will be rewarded, and the future will be better for your children.
A Britain strong enough for you to invest your hope, your potential, your pride, a country we can build together. That is the change we offer. That is Britain’s future. To get it back, vote Labour on 2 May”
So………..
(I have a dream vibe….alas it will NOT be fulfilled by the Labour party…and how is voting in local English elections going to get a “strong Britain” and a “Change for Britain”…..Keir does realise that Scotland (unfortunately) as part of Britain do not get a vote in English LOCAL elections….so does Keir not care that these kind of comments are offensive and somewhat excludes Scotland from his BRITISH vision….that would be a NO then…he does not care….EVEL Labour style always)
Someone pass the sick bucket….empty platitudes interspersed with clichés and slogans….but only for a certain part of Britain that Keir and his party need votes from in order to win the next GE…..as in votes via English regions for (supposed) English benefits….but based on his other former (broken) ‘pledges’ can people in England even trust him and his party…..to fulfil all of the ‘guff’ he spouted in this and other speeches….personally I doubt it. (based on experience as a Scot fully clued up on Labour’s former pledges and promises…all broken and proven to be worth Jack **** – rhymes with SPIT)
Keir ‘U Turn’ Starmer…..Talk is BIG but the proof of the pudding is following up that BIG talk with action….and that’s where we (and Welsh voters) and also English voters will see Labour fall down #Fail….BIG time.
NMRN
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The council cut all the additional needs support. Cut all the additional needs teachers, support and much needed facilities. Wasting public monies. Not putting proper provision which helps all teachers and pupils. A quiet place with less noise and some sympathy to prevent meltdowns from anxiety.
The teachers need more additional needs training and support. The unionist councils do not provide it. Trying to ruin the education system and prevent pupils progressing.
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People can vote against unionism in Scotland and do. They vote for Independence parties to stand up for Scotland. To stand against Westminster politicians and corruption. It just needs a higher turnout. There are enough supporters.
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