LOCAL authorities across the country were paralysed yesterday as councillors from various different parties were unable to agree on coalitions to form the administrations necessary for the running of councils.
In Edinburgh where the capital coalition of Labour and the SNP had five years as the administration, talks were continuing yesterday between the two parties, both of whom have new leaders in the shape of councillors Cammy Day and Adam McVey respectively.
Even if the SNP’s 19-strong group and Labour’s dozen members were to join together as before, they would still be short of a majority on the 63-member council. Cllr Day has proposed a rainbow coalition of SNP, Labour and Greens, but The National understands that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats – both of whom say they will not work with the SNP – are trying to form a ‘Unionist’ coalition and want Labour to join them.
Accusations have been made that pressure is being put on the Labour Group not to join a formal coalition with the SNP.
Ian Murray, Scotland’s only Labour MP at the election who is standing again for the marginal seat of Edinburgh South, and Daniel Johnson, MSP for the same area, are understood to be concerned that a link between the two parties would damage their chances of re-election.
An SNP source said: “They have been lobbying furiously for Labour to do a deal with the Conservatives rather than the SNP because they are worried about their seats.
“This is a time when they should be putting their city first and at least their party above themselves.”
A former member of the capital coalition who has since left the council told The National: “The problem is that Adam McVey and Cammy Day are not experienced enough to hammer out a proper deal.
“It took us many, many hours of discussion and bargaining back in 2012, and I don’t see a deal being done quickly, if at all. The fear has got to be that the Tories and Lib Dems will step in, and that could be disastrous for the council.”
Negotiations between the SNP and the Greens in Glasgow are said to be progressing after new Council Leader Susan Aitken held discussions with her own party and Green councillors.
In Dumfries and Galloway, however, it seems likely that it will be next week before any administration can be formed, with the likelihood being that Labour and SNP councillors will join together as they did briefly in 2013-14.
New SNP group leader Rob Davidson said: “We are having discussions with the Labour group but it is at a comparatively early stage. But we’re working hard and looking closely at issues and areas of possible mutual agreement.”
In Moray, the eight-strong Conservative group is vying with the SNP group, which has nine councillors and is the largest party, to woo the five independent members who have said they are interested in forming a ruling coalition. Most authorities have scheduled their first meeting of the new council for next week, by which time nominations for Convener – or Provost or Lord Provost – and council leader must be in place.
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