Councillor who accused rival of taking bribe ‘didn’t breach code of conduct’

A South Ayrshire councillor who accused his political rival of taking a bribe did not breach the code of conduct, the Standards Commission has ruled.

Alba councillor Chris Cullen has maintained that the comments were “unacceptable” and warned about the impact the ruling could have.

The comments were made after Labour councillor Philip Saxton was ousted as chair of the Service and Partnerships Performance Panel in December 2024.

The Conservative-led administration voted to replace him with Cullen.

At a council meeting, Saxton later said: “I would, however, advise Cllr Cullen, the deal you have reached to get the position comes at a price.”

Cullen said the remark implied he had accepted a bribe or engaged in other unethical behaviour to secure the role, and he complained to the Ethical Standards Commissioner (ESC).

Saxton denied the allegation, saying his words referred to a political arrangement rather than anything improper.

The ESC supported Saxton’s claim, saying his defence was supported by other comments he had made during the meeting.

The report said: “It was evident [Saxton] was simply referring to a political deal between the complainer and a political group.

“The ESC noted such a deal was legitimate and not unusual in politics. As such, any criticisms levelled by the respondent for accepting such a deal would not amount to disrespect under the code.”

The case was referred to the Standards Commission for Scotland in July, it agreed with the ESC that Saxton’s conduct did not breach the Code.

No formal action will be taken.

Cullen has maintained that Saxton’s comments were “unacceptable” and warned about the impact the ruling could have.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I am deeply disappointed that the Standards Commission has chosen to take no further action in this matter.

“What we have here is a clear example of unacceptable behaviour in a public meeting – the kind of insinuations and character assassination that drive decent people away from politics altogether.

“When an elected representative can imply, in front of colleagues, the public, and the press, that another councillor has acted unethically or corruptly, without consequence, it sends a grim message about the standards we’re willing to tolerate.

“Public life should be built on respect, integrity, and truth. If we allow underhand comments, veiled accusations, and personal smears to pass unchecked, we normalise a culture where winning political points matters more than honesty and decency.

“It’s no wonder so many good people refuse to put themselves forward for public office when they see that this kind of conduct is swept aside as ‘politics as usual’.

“If we want healthier debate, more diverse voices, and higher public trust, we have to draw a firm line against personal attacks and deliberate attempts to undermine colleagues’ reputations.

“I will continue to speak out against such behaviour, because the public and our democracy deserve better.”

However, Saxton said that the matter should never have been brought to the commission.

“I think councillors should consider seriously before putting complaints to the Standards Commission about petty personal quotes from other members,” Saxton said.

“It takes up precious time and costs.

“In this particular case, I think Cllr Cullen complained in principle as he was not happy with the suggestion that a deal with the Conservative administration for a particular post with a good additional salary was free from any deal is naive in all senses of the word.”