City’s new SNP leader intent on confronting the issues of the day
Work experience outwith the realms of party politics would have stood her in good stead
The election of councillor Simita Kumar to the leadership of the SNP Group on Edinburgh City Council came as a surprise.
Along with some others I predicted that councillor Kate Campbell would attain the position, but little did I know that she had decided not to stand, leaving councillor Lesley Macinnes as the only challenger to councillor Kumar.
I was of the view that councillor Macinnes would be defeated when push came to shove.
The SNP Group members, in deciding who should be leader, would have taken a number of factors into consideration before casting their vote, in what was a secret ballot.
When it came down to councillor Macinnes they would surely take into account her stewardship of the much criticised Spaces for People programme and her perceived intransigence in the face of significant local opposition to some of the initiatives.
Her flit to Peebles would not have done her any favours either, as moving 23 miles away from the City Chambers would no doubt have been capitalised on by the other parties whenever the opportunity arose.
Councillor Kumar on the other hand had no such political baggage to contend with during the race for the top job.
As a councillor who was only elected last time around in 2022 she would have undoubtedly faced questions regarding her inexperience but she obviously overcame that by persuading a majority of her colleagues to support her leadership bid.
She already chaired group meetings so there must have been an element of trust in her ability and her work experience outwith the realms of party politics would have stood her in good stead.
However she won’t have too long to get her feet under the table as she is to lead the SNP Group at tomorrow’s full council meeting where she is also down to move three motions, the first of which instructs the council leader, councillor Cammy Day, to write three letters on the Westminster Government’s Rwanda proposals.
His first instruction is to: “Write to Edinburgh Airport to seek assurances that Edinburgh Airport will not be used for rendition flights of people to Rwanda.”
The second is to: “Write to the prime minister of the UK to express Edinburgh’s condemnation and make clear the council’s view that nobody in the city of Edinburgh should be deported to Rwanda for ‘processing’ under the terms of the Bill.”
The third, “instructs the council leader to write to the United Kingdom Labour leader, Keir Starmer, to get a commitment this bill will be repealed post-election if Labour forms the next UK government… ”
So, as councillor Kumar is set to be confirmed as the new SNP group leader on the council, she is obviously intent on confronting issues of the day head on.
The Conservative group will obviously oppose her motion but the others should get behind it which would ensure that it achieves the necessary majority vote to get passed. Interesting times indeed for councillor Kumar who may try to build bridges between the SNP Group and the other groups with which it has “enjoyed” a strained relationship of late.
As the largest group by far, the SNP has a lot to offer – it just needs the opportunity – perhaps the new leader will provide it.