Aberdeen councillor Hazel Cameron walked out on a fiery meeting as rivals rounded on comments she made about the closure of six city libraries.
Sparks flew across the council chamber as comments by the recently elected SNP member were slammed as “shameful” and “probably a bit daft”.
Meanwhile, her party colleagues blasted her detractors for a “rather unpleasant” barrage.
Tensions have been simmering since March, when Mrs Cameron addressed a crunch meeting aimed at reversing unpopular budget cuts agreed weeks earlier.
Watch the crucial part of her speech here:
This is @AberdeenSNP’s Cllr Hazel Cameron who voted TWICE to shut down 6 libraries (2 in her own ward).
Over 2000 have signed the 2 petitions while protests continue against the closures!
She is not listening to her constituents‼️
This is what she has to say about libraries📚 pic.twitter.com/CxlO578jY7
— Deena Tissera (@deenatissera) March 28, 2023
Why did Aberdeen councillor Hazel Cameron come under fire?
Aberdeen native Mrs Cameron, a former teacher and dance instructor, was heavily criticised in late March following the decision to close six libraries.
During an emergency meeting to discuss the issue, she told councillors: “It [a library] is a building. A building will not teach your children to read.”
The comments, at a time when emotions were running high, were met with audible gasps from the public gallery, where campaigners had assembled.
‘The SNP own these words’
More than two months later, Labour’s Deena Tissera was at the centre of the mudslinging.
On Wednesday, she called her fellow ward representative’s words “quite shameful and simply wrong”.
This was not the first time Ms Tissera has found herself involved in a spat, previously accusing Lord Provost David Cameron of sexism after he told the Labour newcomer to “stop raising her voice” while speaking.
Ms Tissera told councillors that his wife Mrs Cameron’s words were indicative of a larger issue.
She said: “The SNP now own these words and they should apologise to the council and to the wider public for saying them.”
As Ms Tissera began her speech, a visibly shaken Mrs Cameron swiftly departed the chamber.
She would not return until a vote on “whether to condemn her comments” nearly an hour later.
How did those in the chamber react?
Several SNP and Liberal Democrat administration colleagues spoke in defence of Mrs Cameron, arguing that Ms Tissera had deliberately misconstrued her words to score political points.
Miranda Radley, the nationalists’ deputy group leader, condemned Ms Tissera’s comments.
She labelled the calls for official condemnation “a completely political and somewhat personal attack” against Mrs Cameron.
Likewise, Liberal Democrat Martin Grieg called Ms Tissera a “great producer of fiction” and accused her of creating a “rather unpleasant mythology”.
Council co-leader and fellow Liberal Democrat Ian Yuill, who noted that he and Mrs Cameron shared a distant family relation, called Ms Tissera’s motion “unfortunate”.
Mr Yuill added that he had “absolute confidence” in Mrs Cameron.
Labour: Onslaught wasn’t personal, but legitimate criticism
Throughout the debate, Labour councillors continued to criticise the ruling partnership’s decision to close six libraries and two swimming pools across the city.
Councillor Ross Grant said Mrs Cameron’s comments “were probably a bit daft”.
However, he added that the strong negative reaction to her words showed the strength of feeling on the issue.
As the temperature in the room continued to rise, matching the scorching heat outside, the debate strayed into hilarity at times.
Long time council stalwart Barney Crockett did his best to keep the mood light, dramatically recounting various insults he received during his many years in the chamber.
He shared a laugh with the Lord Provost, who once compared the former Labour leader to “a character from the Muppet show”.
While the heated debate often matched the toasty conditions outside the townhouse, Mr Crockett’s comments provided a moment of levity.
Hazel Cameron acquitted by fellow Aberdeen councillors
In summing up, Ms Radley declared that she was proud to “stand behind Councillor Cameron and condemn the personal and political attack by Councillor Tissera”.
With the debate over, Mrs Cameron returned to the chamber.
The motion condemning her comments was voted down 13-23, with six abstentions.
The faces behind the places: The Aberdonians I met in a week working from six libraries being shut
