Councillor Philip Braat has been hit with criticism for sharing on social media that ‘justice do[es] not exist’ in a ‘self-pitying moan’ about his terrible year.
Philip Braat
A former Glasgow lord provost who was found guilty of stalking his ex-partner posted a “self-pitying moan” on Hogmanay claiming that ‘justice do[es] not exist’. Whining Philip Braat hit out at “narcissistic lies and gaslighting” in a lengthy post reflecting on the previous year, before claiming that he is “still standing”.
The social media rant has drawn criticism, with Glasgow Tory MSP Annie Wells saying: “This self-indulgent look back at the year from this shamed former provost is a total insult to the woman whose life he made a misery.”
Braat, who served as lord provost between 2020 and 2022, was banned in July from going near his ex-partner for five years after bombarding her with texts and social media messages. He contacted the woman over 100 times between July and September 2024 after she dumped him.
Sheriff Owen Mullan ordered Braat to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work and fined him £840 after he pled guilty to a single charge of stalking.
In the Hogmanay message, he portrayed himself as being hard done by after his “terrible” 2025. He wrote: “Nearly 2026, a new year, with new opportunities! But this past year has been a year of two halves – from being at the lowest of the low caused by the narcissistic lies and gaslighting to rebuilding from the rubble, with a few nicer moments strewn in between.
“Although I gladly say goodbye to much of 2025, particularly the first half, the past year has taught me a lot. It has taught me that some people will do absolutely anything to hide their behaviour, shortcomings and wrongdoings rather than take accountability for and admit to them, even if it means destroying someone else.
“It has taught me that justice, fairness and the pursuit of facts do not exist or matter, if it undermines someone else’s biased agenda.
“But it has also taught me that there are still some really good and decent people out there, that there is no shame in asking for help when you need it and that it is ok not to be ok sometimes, and, albeit on my emotional knees for much of the year, that I am more resilient and stronger than I thought, but not without some massive help from those good decent people and friends!
“To those who propagated the narcissism and gaslighting to hide their behaviour, to those who were so quick to judge or believe anything for their own shallow reasons without even bothering to ask or carry out any due diligence about facts and circumstances, and to those who should know (me) better – you nearly succeeded in destroying me completely, nearly – but sorry to disappoint you, I’m still standing!”
His post finished with a claim that “#TruthWillPrevail.”
Braat is currently an independent councillor in Glasgow after serving as a Labour member for nearly two decades.
A Labour source said: “No one will be impressed by this self-pitying moan. He should step back from the keyboard.”