EAST Renfrewshire Council’s administration has been accused of letting Nationalist sentiment influence a decision not to reinstate an Armed Services Day event.

The SNP-led local authority axed the Armed Services Day celebrations in Rouken Glen last year, blaming a lack of cash for the decision.

The event, which attracted thousands of visitors each time it was held between 2014 and 2017, was replaced this year with a formal flag-raising ceremony at the council’s headquarters.

Council chiefs – faced with having to make savings of around £26million over three years – insist the money is no longer available to continue the event in its previous format.

However, at a meeting of the full council last week, Councillor David Macdonald put forward a motion asking for the Rouken Glen gathering to be reinstated.

He said: “I believe this move was deeply regrettable. It was seen as a disrespectful slap in the face to the armed forces.

“It is important not to politicise this. It is easy to suggest the Armed Forces Day supports the Union flag but we need to get beyond that and not look at it from a Unionist or Nationalist perspective.

“I am calling for this event to return for the 2019 calendar and I believe we can find funding for this.”

Council leader Tony Buchanan insisted the celebrations at Rouken Glen were no longer viable due to their cost and the difficulty of involving the armed services.

He said: “I was disappointed in some of the points alluded to there, in an attempt to make this somewhat political, which it clearly isn’t, by any means.”

Pointing to the £10,200 cost of the last Armed Forces Day at Rouken Glen, Labour councillor Paul O’Kane also argued against its reintroduction.

He said: “We have to consider what we can afford and what we can’t, as a council.

“I would much rather that we were investing in the day-to-day support for our veterans.”

However, Conservative member Jim Swift argued it was not an “either or” scenario.

“We could find £10,000 if we wanted to,” said Cllr Swift. “It’s about political will. Let’s not pretend it isn’t.”

The motion was defeated by nine votes to five.

Cllr Paul Aitken, who represents Barrhead, Liboside and Uplawmoor, said he was disappointed by the result.

He added: “The costs were very small in relation to the council’s budget.

“I can’t help feeling that the event has been cancelled for political reasons by the Nationalist administration, who can’t stand the sight of the Union flag or the concept of UK-wide armed forces.”

East Renfrewshire MP Paul Masterton also expressed his disappointment at the council’s decision.

He said: “I continue to believe restarting the family event alongside armed forces is the right thing to do.

“I hope that the council will continue to keep their decision under review and we can see the event back in future years.”