Labour crisis over coalition with Tories may lead to ‘exclusion’, warns Dugdale’s deputy

SCOTTISH Labour’s ‘meltdown’ over council coalitions continued yesterday as it emerged that nine councillors will not have their suspension lifted unless they back away from a deal with the Tories.

Alex Rowley revealed the former party members could be refused readmission following an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alliance.

A civil war broke out within Scottish Labour when the nine were suspended from the party on Wednesday night after they formed an alliance with the Conservatives in Aberdeen to lock the SNP out of power.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale had threatened disciplinary action if the councillors refused to back down – and was later forced to suspend them all.

And internal investigation is set to take place, with deputy leader Mr Rowley warning it could lead to the group being expelled. He told the BBC there was no way the councillors could be reinstated if they remained part of the administration.

Mr Rowley added: ‘There is now a process that will have to be undertaken. The Labour party rule book states quite clearly that where Labour councillors want to enter into coalition, they first have to get the agreement of the Scottish Executive Committee. In the case of Aberdeen they did not have that agreement for the proposal they put forward.’