Rainbow move to lock out SNP

ANGUS: Talks continue to form council administration

Several frontrunners have emerged for key positions in a rainbow administration to keep the SNP out of power in Angus Council.

There have been initial discussions between Conservative, Independent and Liberal Democrat councillors about forming a new alliance.

The SNP, which ran the previous administration, won only nine of the 28 council seats at the election count on Friday.

The Courier understands that former leader Bob Myles is interested in returning to the role, but he may face a Tory challenge.

Several sources have confirmed that Kirriemuir Conservative Ronnie Proctor and Forfar Independent Colin Brown are both interested in the role of provost.

The eight Conservative councillors will hold a meeting today to discuss their strategy including whether they have a candidate for council leader.

SNP councillors who had key roles in the last administration – Glennis Middleton, Sheena Welsh, Jeanette Gaul and Donald Morrison – lost their seats in Thursday’s vote due to a surge in Tory support. See coverage on pages 4-5

Negotiations are taking place in town halls across the country as the SNP attempts to form administrations in Scotland’s four largest cities.

The new Nationalist leader of Glasgow City Council has said she is “very open” to doing a coalition deal with the Greens to run the city – but also stressed she would have “no qualms” about going it alone and running a minority administration.

Susan Aitken spoke out after a “historic” result saw the SNP become the largest party in the authority for the first time in its history.

Labour has been in power in Glasgow since 1980 but as its vote slumped in the Scottish council elections, the party lost the majority it had in Glasgow.

Talks will take place with the Greens over the next few days, Ms Aitken said, even though Martin Bartos, the leader of the party in the city, was taken to hospital after a bike accident.

The SNP also became the largest party on Edinburgh City Council for the first time as Labour slipped into third place behind a Tory resurgence.

Talks are already under way to form the first SNP-led administration in the capital’s history after the Nationalists won 19 of the available 63 seats.

The SNP looks set to take control of Aberdeen City Council after winning 19 of the city’s 45 council seats. Party chiefs in the Granite City have said they would now consult with every party – except the Conservatives – about forming a ruling administration after falling short of the 23 councillors needed for a majority.

The Liberal Democrats could prove to be kingmakers in coalition negotiations, with Lib Dem councillor Ian Yuill pledging to work with “the people of the city”.

Tory and Liberal Democrat groups have held talks in Aberdeenshire after the Conservatives emerged as the largest party. The SNP, the outgoing administration, lost four seats.