Scottish Labour deny attempt to deprive SNP of power in North Lanarkshire

SCOTTISH Labour has denied courting support from an ultraunionist councillor to stop the SNP taking control of one of Scotland’s largest councils.

A former Scottish Labour MSP is claimed to have contacted the British Unionist Party (BUP) in a bid to deprive the SNP of power in North Lanarkshire.

The party has strenuously denied the claims, despite the BUP councillor confirming to this newspaper his party had been contacted by Labour. In 2017, when Labour won 32 seats to the SNP’s 33, the party managed to retain control of Motherwell Civic Centre with the support of eight Tories and Airdrie north independent councillor Alan Beveridge, right.

In order to retain control this time,

Labour would need the support of the five North Lanarkshire Tories alongside the BUP councillor and one of the two independents, to go against the SNP’s 36 and the

Greens’ one councillor. A Labour source told The Herald the same tactics from 2017 were being used in an attempt to keep the SNP out. They added that Karen Whitefield, former MSP and a member of Scottish Labour’s ruling body the Scottish Executive Committee, had contacted the BUP “very quickly” after one of their candidates was elected on Friday, to try to discuss if he would support Labour’s bid to lead the council. John Jo Leckie succeeded in the Fortissat ward, becoming the first BUP councillor in Scotland. He took the seat from the Tories, with 859 first preference votes their 512.

Scottish Labour denied any such contact took place but confirmed Ms Whitefield had been involved in the local campaign as she had been the MSP for the area previously.

Speaking to The Herald, a Scottish Labour source said: “Within 10 minutes, Karen was on the phone to this unionist guy. I’m sure they will deny it, but it happened. It blows the whole ‘no coalitions’ stance out the water really.”

Mr Leckie confirmed he had been asked to contact Ms Whitefield by his party leader, but is yet to do so as he was “enjoying the weekend” after the elections.

He said the former MSP contacted John Mortimer, leader of the BUP, yesterday and asked if he would call her.

Scottish Labour maintained they will not form any official coalitions but will agree to work with like-minded politicians for the good of their constituents.