New leader to be elected by next week

The new leader of North Lanarkshire Council will be elected by next week – with the Labour group planning to challenge the SNP for the role.

The top position on Scotland’s fourth-largest local authority is currently vacant after Jordan Linden stood down.

SNP members have submitted a formal request for a special meeting of the council to propose their nominee as the new leader.

But Labour now plan to put forward their own members to head an administration, saying the Snp“have presided over three months of a complete absence of political leadership”.

North Lanarkshire’s

SNP group was holding a special meeting to elect their new leader as the Advertiser went to press.

A spokesperson said:“a formal request has been made by the depute leader of the council for a special meeting of North Lanarkshire Council to be convened in order for a new leader to be appointed.

“It is for the provost to determine a date and time for that meeting, which shall be announced by the council in due course.”

Councillor Linden tendered his resignation last week following newspaper reports of sexual harassment allegations; and ahead of a specially-convened group meeting and with Labour planning to lodge a no-confidence motion.

The 27-year-old called it “the privilege of my life”to have been council leader and said he intends to continue serving as a councillor for his Bellshill ward.

The full assembly of the authority – which also has five Conservative members, two independents, one Green and one British Unionist – must take place by August 11.

Labour members “unanimously”agreed to contest the council leadership.

And Labour leader Jim Logue demanded the

SNP hierachy come clean on who knew what and when about the accusations against Linden.

He said:“based on these new allegations I am of a view that Councillor Linden is unfit to hold any public office and should seriously question his current position as a councillor.”

Councillor Logue continued:“north Lanarkshire Labour has no confidence in this administration and it is no surprise given recent events that residents have a similar view.

“[It] is incapable of providing the necessary leadership which North Lanarkshire expects or requires, resulting in significant reputational damage to this area.

“The SNP have hit the ground stalling, incapable of representing the residents of North Lanarkshire; since the election in May [there have been] no committees meeting or any articulation of any policies or service developments.

“Questions for the

SNP locally and nationally are who knew what about his presenting behaviours and why was Councillor Linden approved as a councillor and elected as leader of the council?

“The intention of the Labour group is that we’ll put up an amendment to the election of a new leader because of political inactivity and reputational damage.”

Conservative group leader Sandy Watson said: “Once details of Councillor Linden’s behaviour became public knowledge he had no option but to resign as leader, and I was pleased he belatedly reached that conclusion himself.

“The SNP has serious questions to answer over why they appointed him council leader in the first place when they knew about his past behaviour.”

Labour has no confidence in this council administration Councillor Jim Logue