Power struggle as nationalists bid to oust Conservatives

Scottish Conservatives have vowed they won’t go down without a fight in Perth and Kinross as the SNP fight to remove them from power.

The SNP is now the local authority’s largest party with 16 out of 40 seats after gaining a councillor.

A backlash from the partygate scandal saw the Tories lose three seats to finish on 14.

The nationalists cannot automatically take control of the council since they don’t have a majority.

The Lib Dems won four seats, Labour now has two councillors, and four independent candidates were elected as well.

SNP leader Grant Laing has set his ambitions on his group leading the next administration.

He opened the door to working with other councillors and parties to potentially form a coalition.

Mr Laing said: “I don’t think there’ll ever be an outright majority in Perth and Kinross.

“That’s what the system is set up for, to try and get people to work together. At the moment I’ve spoken to all the other groups on the council. We will be continuing that on Monday.

“There’s things to be discussed with all of them.

“We’re in prime position to form the administration. Most parties realise the first people to have that chance should be the largest party.”

However, Tory MSP Murdo Fraser insisted it is not guaranteed the SNP will be in power.

He said: “I think personal relationships are going to prove as important as politics in all this.

“It will be whether smaller parties think that the individuals in the SNP leadership are people they want to work with.

“I don’t think it’s a given we’re going to end up with an SNP administration.”

Mr Fraser said Labour and the Tories had been able to “work together effectively” in Aberdeen where they struck a controversial deal after the 2017 election.

He urged Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to reverse his stance on entering no local coalitions. The Tory MSP said: “It would be foolish for Labour to rule it out entirely.”

Both Perth and Kinross Labour councillors have said they will sit in opposition.

Alasdair Bailey, reelected in the Carse of Gowrie, reckons it will be an “uphill struggle” for the Tories to keep power.

He said: “When it comes to coalitions, the position we have is we’re going to operate as a pair in opposition. Wherever any group is bringing things to the agenda that match our Labour values we’ll be voting for those.”

He added Independent councillors would also have a say.

The Lib Dems have hinted they would be open to working with other parties.

Local leader Peter Barrett said they will assess what priorities they share with rivals.