SNP and Lib Dems look ready to control council

The SNP and Liberal Democrats look poised to go into a ruling partnership on Aberdeen City Council as the only parties left negotiating.

Talks continue as the two groups look to bash out an agreement before today’s full council meeting.

Meanwhile, former Labour and Conservatives coalition colleagues are turning on each other, with both seemingly resigned to five years in opposition.

Sources within the previous administration have hit out at “farcical” national politics forcing Aberdeen Labour to “throw the city” to the SNP.

The Scottish National Party increased its share of council seats to 20 at this month’s election.

A combined SNP/Lib Dem coalition would command a majority of a single councillor.

The deal was expected to be announced before today’s full council meeting, where key roles such as lord provost and leader will be agreed.

The Conservatives and Labour have both spent the last week in talks with other group leaders and independents to try to maintain control.

But Tory group leader Ryan Houghton tweeted what looked like a concession yesterday, placing the blame squarely on Labour.

The Airyhall, Broomhill and Garthdee councillor wrote: “(It) looks like the SNP and Lib Dem deal is done to form an administration on Aberdeen City Council tomorrow.

“Attempts to form an administration with us, Labour and Lib Dems (were) unsuccessful due to Labour’s national ban on formal partnerships.

“This gave the Lib Dems the out needed to do a deal with the SNP.”

This comes as sources from within the previous Labour-led rainbow coalition hit out over a command from party bosses that blocks Aberdeen Labour from formalising coalitions.

Describing the situation as a “farce”, one councillor hit out at the Labour leadership who asked for votes, but would not put any power-sharing arrangement in writing.

“Aberdeen Labour will rightly be excoriated by those who voted for Labour policies only to watch councillors sit on our hands. It is truly shocking,” they told The P&J.

It is understood Aberdeen Labour group meetings over the past week have been long and fiery affairs.

George Street and Harbour councillor Sandra Macdonald was voted in to replace outgoing leader Jenny Laing after the election.

But an old guard is understood to be keen to do more to try to remain in power, desperate not to “throw the city to the SNP”.

Mrs Macdonald is believed to be the only member of the infamous Aberdeen Nine to vote against the coalition with Conservatives in 2017.

Regardless, she and her party colleagues were exiled due to the deal for nearly five years for having defied party bosses.

This time around, sources say she has made it clear that is not an option up for discussion.

But Mrs Macdonald denied that it had been Labour’s reluctance to formalise a coalition that had upset the talks.

“We have reached out to reach agreements with other parties but the overriding reason as to why is the reality that the SNP and Lib Dems have been bedfellows for five years.

“We will go into tomorrow’s meeting willing to work with anyone.

“But nobody wants to take on our bus pledge.

“The ‘no compulsory redundancies’ pledge were less troublesome for them.

“We will go into tomorrow proposing a Labour minority administration.

“But we will always do what is best for Aberdeen and I have spoken to all group leaders.

“My view is that there will be a deal on the table. My suspicion is that there will be a programme of government between the SNP and Lib Dems.”

DECISION DAY: A full meeting of Aberdeen City Council today will formally hear about the progress made by the parties to form a ruling coalition.

Sandra Macdonald.