Findlay to resign over pope jokeDONALD Findlay, one of Scotland’s most flamboyant QCs, has been forced to resign his chairmanship in the Faculty of Advocates after telling a joke about the death of Pope John Paul II.
The advocate, who resigned as vice-chairman of Rangers Football Club six years ago after being filmed singing Orange songs at a social club next to Ibrox, is now facing the prospect of a disciplinary hearing and possibly suspension from the faculty .
News that Findlay, 54, has had to step down from the elected post – one of the most prestigious in the Scottish legal profession – came amid a growing wave of condemnation over his comments, made at a meeting in a Rangers social club in Northern Ireland.
Both Findlay and former Rangers goalkeeper Andy Goram were alleged to have delivered routines that were littered with obscenities and jokes about Catholics. Findlay said to an audience of around 140 people: “It’s very smoky in here tonight – has another f***ing pope died?”
The Sunday Herald understands that Findlay was faced with a unanimous vote of no confidence from the faculty’s board of directors after a meeting of senior advocates in Edinburgh.
One senior legal source said: “Findlay was given a unanimous vote of no confidence during a meeting of the board of the company – its directors.
“He went along to the meeting and he said that an issue had arisen relating to last week and asked if he had the support of his colleagues to carry on as chairman. Not one person voted for him. It was pretty humiliating.”
The source added: “ After all he went through at Rangers, the idea that he blows it all again by doing exactly the same thing is just breathtaking, it really is.”
His position as chairman of Faculty Services Ltd meant he was in charge of the business side of the legal body, a multi-million pound operation. He would also have been responsible for the faculty’s employees, and involved in buying property for the organisation.
Following his resignation from Rangers , Findlay faced an internal disciplinary hearing and was fined £5000 for bringing the Faculty into disrepute.
This time, however, given his past misdemeanour and the fact that First Minister Jack McConnell has launched a personal crusade against sectarianism, the penalties are likely to be higher.
Some legal experts were last night speculating that Findlay could even face suspension . One said: “He could be looking at a period of suspension. This is a time in Scotland when sectarian is a big issue. He knows that and yet gets involved in this kind of thing again.”
Last night, while there was condemnation of his actions, other colleagues described the resignation as a “personal tragedy” for Findlay.
Derek Ogg QC, chairman of the Faculty’s Criminal Bar Association, said: “On a personal and professional level, he is a man I hold in the highest regard. It’s a personal tragedy for him but obviously his position had become untenable.”
Sandra White, the SNP MSP for Glasgow, who last week criticised Findlay over his anti-Catholic joke, said she was “very pleased” that he had resigned.
A spokesman for the anti-sectarian charity Nil by Mouth, said: “This is an example of how Scottish society is no longer prepared to tolerate this type of behaviour.”
Last night, Findlay was unavailable for comment.
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posted 05 June 2005 07:55 AM
