There is a grubby democracy at the heart of Glasgow politics that blights its ambition to become a mecca of sporting excellence.
How can SNP council leader Susan Aitken promote the country’s biggest city as a centre of sport when she has a major issue with one of its major football institutions?
What other conclusion can be drawn after revelations of her cack-handed attempt to smear Labour rival Frank McAveety?
Celtic fan McAveety accepted an invite from Rangers, in his role as then leader of the council, to take in a game from the Ibrox directors’ box for the Championship clash with Hibs a few seasons ago.
It’s fair to conclude he didn’t burst into a chorus of Follow Follow but McAveety knows how his city works and has won a reputation over many decades as an honest broker in his dealings with both clubs.
His attendance at Ibrox was no more extraordinary than a local councillor, MSP or MP accepting an invite to Parkhead, Pittodrie or Penicuik Athletic to maintain courteous relationships.
Why then did Aitken, at the height of the Ibrox fanzone controversy earlier this season, seek to belittle McAveety by asking fellow SNP councillors, in a closed Facebook group, to get “these nice photos...out there”?
Why is the attendance of an elected representative, irrespective of their political hue, worthy of scorn if they’re spotted at the home of one of the country’s two biggest clubs?
It’s a question those higher up the SNP chain than Aitken would do well to confront.
The fact a group of city councillors set up a closed social media discussion group, with all the transparency of a brick wall, is bad enough.
Try emailing Mark Zuckerberg with a freedom of information request and see how far you get.
Atken’s lack of discipline and political nous and the vibe of recklessness she has given off in her dealings with Rangers - like Celtic, a major employer in the city - discredits her office.
This paper was the first to reveal the controversy around the involvement of Aitken and her deputy David McDonald in the decision to deny Rangers a fanzone at Ibrox earlier this season.
Council's backtracking over Rangers fanzone is of Olympic standard - Gary Ralston
Aitken and McDonald have never given a convincing response to claims they intervened in the application at a meeting on August 1, outside of due process for a quasi-judicial hearing.
The very next day Glasgow Life withdrew their permission for use of their facility across the road from the stadium and a licensing committee hearing scheduled for August 6 was promptly cancelled.
Aitken was reported to the commissioner for ethical standards by Glasgow MSP Adam Tomkins for that one and McAveety has also gone to the door of the watchdog in light of her latest blunder.
She really should consider her position, but don’t hold your breath and in the meantime look out for her extolling Glasgow’s reputation as a European capital of sport in the coming months.
Euro 2020 is just around the corner - in Aitken’s Langside ward, no less - and she’ll be pictured pressing the flesh at Hampden and speaking of the city’s historic sporting past.
The SNP have dismissed her Facebook post about McAveety as a “joke” but Kevin Bridges will hardly be rushing to pick up on her one liners.
As gags go, this one ceased to be funny a long time ago.
