EDINBURGH City Council’s SNP group is no longer the authority’s largest after the decision of one of its members, Councillor Lewis Ritchie, to quit the party.
Ritchie, one of the councillors for the Leith Walk ward, had been facing an internal SNP disciplinary investigation over an alleged incident in a Glasgow taxi during last year’s party conference. He was suspended from the SNP last week.
An SNP spokesman said then: “A complaint has been passed to the disciplinary committee and Councillor Ritchie is under administrative suspension until a hearing takes place.”
Other allegations were also being looked at. Ritchie will continue as an independent councillor. He first took a seat on the council after winning a by-election in 2015.
He was nominated alongside fellow SNP councillor Susan Aitken of Glasgow in the local politician category at last year’s Herald Scottish Politician of the Year Awards, won by Aberdeen City Council leader Jenny Laing.
Elected planning convener in June, the keen boxer and runner, who is an Army reservist, was seen as a rising star in the party.
Ritchie has already changed his party status on social media, where he also confirmed his intention to carry on as an independent.
He said in a Facebook post: “I have the honour of representing Leith Walk as an independent councillor. As an independent, my ward and the people I’m proud to represent will always be my number one priority.” Ritchie’s departure means the SNP group which formed the Capital Coalition with Labour after last year’s election now has 18 councillors, the same as the Conservatives.
The resignation should not affect the balance of power in the council, however.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here