Time for Kate to pick up the SNP city council group leader baton

Acouple of weeks ago I wrote about the impending election of a new SNP group leader up at the City Chambers, given that the current leader Councillor Adam Nols-McVey has signalled his intention not to seek re-election to the position.

I wrote then that, out of the potential contenders, Councillor Kate Campbell was in pole position. I did so because I felt that her main challenger, Councillor Lesley Macinnes, had probably blotted her copybook when she engaged the services of a removal van and flitted to Peebles. While she is able to continue as a councillor, as her main place of work is in Edinburgh, it seemed to me that a leader of a group on the City Council who lived 23 miles outwith the city may be too bitter a pill for any group to swallow.

If this pans out, then that leaves the way open for Councillor Campbell, pictured, to take on the role.

Her ascendancy to the position was also predicted by Councillor Kevin Lang, the Liberal Democrat group leader, who wrote in Monday’s paper of Campbell that “she’s a deal maker, a bridge builder.”

He continued: “Indeed, when other SNP conveners [in the last administration – SC] couldn’t stomach the idea of even speaking with their Conservative counterparts, Kate was always the one happy to reach out and compromise.”

So, if Kevin is right, there might well be a mood shift among SNP councillors in the High Street. Many are still smarting from being unceremoniously ditched when the new administration was being formed, despite being the largest group by far in terms of seats won.

That was two years ago. Councillor Campbell will have to tell her colleagues to get over it and play a more meaningful role in council affairs.

The Edinburgh public should expect no less.