Leader accuses Alliance of going in a ‘huff’
North Lanarkshire Labour leader Jim Logue accused former members of his party of“the biggest political huff”as they sided with the SNP during the budget debate.
Members of the Independent Alliance voted with the Nationalists when it came to the budget vote – with Labour’s proposal scraping through by just seven votes.
Councillor Logue did not mince his words when speaking about his ex-Labour Party colleagues.
He said:“I am absolutely disgusted at the 10 members who left the Labour Party and claimed to set themselves up as independents.
“What we saw was not one contribution to try and influence the budget for the next financial year despite the pressing demands of a £27million cut.
“Have they got no views on priorities? Have they lost all their values and all their principles they had when they were in the Labour Party?
“It’s a bizarre development. All of them were bolting on to the SNP flag and joining with them.
“Have their politics changed or are they just indulging in a personal grievance against the Labour administration? What I clearly see from the 10 is that they are indulging in the biggest political huff I have ever seen.”
The new group consists of Wishaw councillors Sam Love and Frank McKay, Craigneuk councillor Gary O’Rorke along with other long-standing North Lanarkshire councillors Peter Nolan, Peter Sullivan, Helen McKenna, Jim Brooks, Jim Smith, Tom Curley and John Higgins.
Councillor Love said:“Labour’s budget was simply electioneering.
“They claimed they saved £5.2million for the Joint Integration Board (JIB) but last year they took away £3million of funding for a re-ablement facility on the former Belhaven Care Home site in Wishaw.
“Councillor Bob Burrows spoke about independents voting with Labour but these are the same people who pass us in the Civic Centre and can’t even look at us. They are embarrassed and Jim Logue’s record in the past year speaks for itself!”