Exclusive: 'Joke job' president Blain Murphy takes final bow

“I've had enough of QMU for three life times,” former Queen Margaret University Students' Union president Blain Murphy told The Journal last week, speaking publicly for the first time since his dismissal.

In March, The Journal reported that after a complaint was filed by vice president Christie McMonagle against the current president, a vote of no-confidence was passed against Mr Murphy and he was removed from office.

Prior to this, Mr Murphy was called in for a disciplinary meeting in December. He now claims that he was given just a day and a half to gather his case. Mr Murphy said he approached Neil Rolland, QMUSU's general nanager, who told him that he was unable to give evidence for Mr Murphy as he “needed to stay neutral”. Mr Murphy was then shocked to find the same general manager “at the disciplinary meeting being a witness for Christie.”

It was revealed during the extraordinary meeting of Student Parliament the following February where Mr Murphy was removed from office, that communications had deteriorated between Mr Murphy and Ms McMonagle. Mr Murphy told The Journal that Ms McMonagle moved her desk to the reception area in November. Ms McMonagle did not speak to the ex-president for five months.

“I felt that any issues could have been resolved in a face-to-face meeting or an informal chat, but instead Christie put a complaint through. It could from the outside of things look like a petty way to get me removed from office without actually trying to solve problems”, said Mr Murphy.

Speaking to The Journal, Ms McMonagle said: “Several discussions about his actions were had with Blain before the formal complaint however he would not listen and I felt the formal complaint was the best way for him to understand the seriousness of the issue”.

Ms McMonagle added that Mr Murphy “seemed unable to take responsibility for his actions and treated the role of Student President as a joke”.

In his blog, posted on 18 January, Mr Murphy wrote: “This job is, well it’s just plain awful. The people I work with are grand and all, but some take it too seriously”.

Mr Murphy added that he believed that the position - which had a salary of £15,779 - was a “fun joke job”.
The complaint against Mr Murphy was filed on the grounds of not fulfilling his core hours of work, his timekeeping and his absence at meetings without sending apologies. Mr Murphy told The Journal that in the eight months in which he had held office “I failed to send two apologies, which only happened due to an illness".

“As for my time management, being a student still I’m set in my ways of leaving things until a day or two before the deadline, but I’d still make sure that they were done”.

It was revealed at the meeting that negative comments had been made against the NUS by Mr Murphy on his Facebook page. Mr Murphy defended his actions, saying: “It was my thoughts.

“It could from the outside of things look like a petty way to get me removed from office without actually trying  solve problems”

I don’t see why this was used as evidence, in my opinion it was petty people clutching at straws and trying to use anything and everything against me.”
An email was sent to the student body by the student union informing them that Blain Murphy has been removed from office.

Mr Murphy told The Journal that it was “hurtful” after working there for 8 months. When asked why he was not given the opportunity to write his own statement the union claimed “it was never thought about”.

Mr Murphy also revealed that following this he did write a statement. However, it was never released.

He claimed that that he doesn’t regret running, however: “In honesty, I wish I could say that I wouldn’thave ran, but I’m glad I did."

“I’m glad that I got to see how petty some people can be when things don’t go their way. I had a wonderful time with the students and that’s the only good thing I’m going to take away from the whole experience.”