The Scotsman

Friday 13th May, 2005

Simon Pia

AMID the carefully-choreographed support for Nicol Stephen, in the run-up to his coronation as the new Scottish Lib Dem leader, we are told there are rumblings of dissent.

David Webster, the former Lib Dem spin doctor, who was injured in the crash of the Lothian Helicopters craft flying Jim Wallace around the country in 2003, is said to be "more than dischuffed" at Stephen's approach to party workers.

Webster, we are told by an illiberal democrat, received replies to letters he sent to Labour's Colin Boyd and Alistair Darling. Indeed, Darling was, rather frighteningly, apparently able to rattle off his constituent's address at a chance meeting with Webster, along with a list of his considerations as Secretary of State for Transport on the company's safety record.

Stephen, on the other hand, has produced "not so much as a Post-it note" in reply, despite having waved Webster off from Aberdeen before the helicopter flew into powerlines, as well as being asked to look at the crash and the implications for confidence in public transport at the subsequent trial.

"Clearly, the transport minister has been aware for some time," our Livid Dem says, "that party underlings would soon be his to ignore."