TWO Selkirkshire councillors have backed David Parker’s decision to ditch his planned debate about the Great Tapestry of Scotland.

Councillor Parker had accepted an invite from Selkirk Community Council to answer questions over his local authority’s decision to commit up to £3.5 million towards a new building for the tapestry in Tweedbank.

But last Thursday he pulled out of the Selkirk summit after receiving a follow-up letter from community council office bearers Graeme Easton, Alistair Pattullo and Ian King.

At Monday’s monthly meeting of the community council both Gordon Edgar and Vicky Davidson, who are part of the ruling administration at Newtown St Boswells, defended their leader and his decision.

Councillor Edgar said: “The letter that was sent to David Parker was too dictatorial and it was nothing more than inviting a man to his hanging.

“The tone of the letter was over the top - this was never going to be a fair meeting.

“There will be open meetings later in the year about the tapestry and I think these will be the best platform for raising concerns.” Members of Selkirk Community Council have condemned the Tweedbank decision since it was voted through at Newtown last December.

And they initially invited the leader to attend at the Victoria Hall to discuss the reasons behind the move.

Councillor Davidson also stood in the leader’s corner on Monday. She said: “David Parker offered to come here and discuss the tapestry. He would still have come if he hadn’t received the follow-up letter making it so clear how the community council felt.

“It is not because he’s afraid that he hasn’t come - he does have the answers - but he feels the community council isn’t the proper platform for this debate and he will discuss this in public later in the year.” Amongst David Parker’s most fervent critics is community councillor Dr Alisdaire Lockhart, who is also a director of the proposed Scottish Centre of Textiles.And he demanded that the leader of the local authority should be re-invited to the Victoria Hall to answer a list of questions.

Dr Lockhart blasted: “I thought it would have been a priority for him to come. We can assume that he didn’t come because he couldn’t justify the decision. There are many unanswered questions and I would like for Mr Parker to come here and answer them.” Community council chairman Graham Easton also hit out at Councillor Parker’s late U-turn.

He said: “I don’t think the letter we sent was hostile.

“All we have done is express the community’s views.

“He should be able to man-up.” But Councillor Davidson fired back with further defence of the leader and also the decision to locate the tapestry building near the rail terminus.

She added: “Me and David Parker have had many run-ins over the years but I am with him on this.

“We are bringing a major tourist attraction to the Scottish Borders.

“David Parker got the Scottish Government to give £2.5 million towards the building and he is actively trying to persuade other funders to also give money. The £3.5 million is the maximum it will cost the council - he is working hard to make sure it costs us a lot less.

“If the tapestry doesn’t work in Tweedbank - close to where the Borders Railway ends - it wouldn’t have worked anywhere in the Borders.”