26/05/2022 17:59

East Renfrewshire: Labour accused of Tory 'backroom deal'
57 mins ago


By Drew Sandelands
Local Democracy Reporter


Labour has been accused of doing “a backroom deal with Boris Johnson’s toxic Tories” after forming a minority administration to run East Renfrewshire Council.

The SNP and Labour, along with independent councillor Danny Devlin, had worked together to run the local authority for the past decade but that arrangement was cast aside after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said his party would not enter coalitions with the Nationalists or Conservatives.

The new administration includes seven of the 18 members on the council, with all five Labour members working alongside Councillor Devlin and his fellow independent David Macdonald.

The SNP’s six councillors are now in opposition, forming the largest party.

All five Conservative members backed Labour’s nominations for key roles at the first meeting of the new council last night, leading to accusations of a behind-the-scenes agreement.

Labour councillor Owen O’Donnell is the new council leader, taking over from the SNP’s Tony Buchanan, with Labour colleague Andrew Anderson appointed as his deputy.

Councillor Mary Montague, also of Labour, was elected as the new provost.

Labour abstained as the Conservatives, with support from the two independents, took the deputy provost position, as well as chair of the audit and scrutiny committee and licensing committee.

Councillor Andy Morrison, of the Conservatives, tweeted after the meeting that his group had “locked the nationalists out of power.”

The SNP accused its opponents of "getting the Better Together band back together" and insisted voters won’t forgive Labour for “getting into bed” with the Conservatives.

Councillor Buchanan, SNP group leader, said: “It beggars belief that, on the very day that Sue Gray’s report slammed the Tories for lockdown parties, East Renfrewshire Labour thought the best option was to do a backroom deal with Boris Johnson’s toxic Tories.”

Joining forces with the two independent councillors would have been enough to give Labour control without support from the Conservatives, unless the Tories had backed the SNP.

Speaking after his election as leader, Councillor O’Donnell said: “Times are hard and they are getting harder for the people of East Renfrewshire.

"We started this year with hope and optimism of a better life after the Covid pandemic but that optimism was shattered by a cost-of-living crisis which both Scottish and UK governments are struggling to solve.

“The Labour group, supported by two independents, are determined to do the best they can to support the people of East Renfrewshire through these difficult times.

"We want to give them hope that there is someone on their side and fighting their corner.”

He added: “A minority-led administration is new for East Renfrewshire, it will mean change in how the council is run. By definition, for the administration to be successful it will mean day-to-day consensus building on a vote-by-vote basis across this chamber.

“This council has a good reputation for collaboration with previous administrations by putting politics aside and putting people first. Having reviewed both opposition parties’ manifestos, it is clear that we have more in common that unites us than divides us.

“There is no reason to believe that grown-up politics cannot survive. I urge all parties of this chamber to work with us to help deliver the services and support that our community deserves.”

All five convener positions went to Labour and independent councillors.

Councillor Anderson will cover education and equalities, the council leader will take the environment role and Councillor Katie Pragnell, also of Labour, is the new community services and community safety convener.

Councillor Devlin will resume the housing and maintenance services position and Councillor Macdonald will take on the social work and health role.

Councillor Betty Cunningham (Labour) will chair the planning applications committee and Councillor Morrison will lead the audit and scrutiny committee.

Councillor Buchanan objected to Councillor Morrison’s role, claiming there could be an “issue in terms of transparency” as the Conservatives supported Labour’s nominations.

He called for the post to be handed to a SNP councillor but lost out by seven votes to six.

After the meeting, Councillor Buchanan said: “The Better Together band is back together, with Labour relying on Tory votes to run the council and sitting on their hands to give the Tories deputy provost.

“Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie said no to any deals or pacts, yet Labour are perfectly happy to be propped up by Tory votes in East Renfrewshire and across Scotland.

“We will provide rigorous scrutiny in opposition but voters will not forgive or forget Labour bashing the Tories during the campaign, then getting into bed with them straight afterwards.”

Councillor Montague said she feels “very privileged” to take on the provost's role.

“I will do my best for you in the chamber to facilitate discussion and also to represent the council in civic life in every corner of East Renfrewshire,” added Councillor Montague, who will be supported by deputy provost Kate Campbell, of the Conservatives.

“I look forward to working with each and every one of you in doing that.”

29/05/2022 09:00

Cllr Annette Ireland has posted on facebook page

en-gb.facebook.com/annettesnp

Cllr Annette Ireland
27 May at 18:46 ·
“Even Labour party members cannot stomach the grubby backroom deals their party has done with the Tories across Scotland. They can see these stitch-ups for what they really are as Labour ditch any principle it had left and open the door to let Tories into power.” Siobhian Brown MSP
The East Renfrewshire agreement is barely dry and Labour MSP’s are already blasting these deals as shameful. How’s that Tory backroom deal looking now East Renfrewshire Labour?


Published The National On Line

Key Scottish Labour figures blast 'shameful' Tory council deals
27th May
By Abbi Garton-Crosbie
@agc_reports


CRACKS in Scottish Labour are beginning to show as party figures spoke out against “grubby backroom deals” made with the Tories in council chambers across Scotland, the SNP have said.

In Holyrood on Thursday, Scottish Labour were roundly mocked over their loose pacts struck with other ist parties after leader Anas Sarwar insisted before the local elections that the party wouldn’t enter into coalitions.

However, they did in Dumfries and Galloway which is now a shared SNP-Labour administration. Deals have also put Labour into power with Tory support in Edinburgh, Fife, Stirling and West Lothian.

A dramatic day in Edinburgh city council on Thursday saw two Labour councillors abstain from voting their own party into minority administration, with votes instead bolstered by the LibDems and Tories. The move stopped a loose SNP-Green co-operation deal, like the one formed in Glasgow, from taking control of the city chambers.

And now, one current and one former Labour MSP and a former MP have criticised the party getting into bed with the Conservative party.

It comes as the SNP blasted the “stitch-up” between ist parties across Scotland, while the Greens called on figures criticising the deals which “locked progressive parties out” to take action.

On Tuesday, former Labour MSP Neil Findlay criticised the West Lothian Labour party branch for striking a deal with four Tory councillors and the single LibDem and Independent to form an administration and lock the SNP out.

Findlay, who was a regional MSP for Lothian from 2011 and 2021, blasted: “I am appalled to see West Lothian Labour Councillors voting Tories into office - the Tory party is the enemy of my class.

"They inflicted decades of pain on my community leaving a legacy of unemployment, ill health and poverty,it is shameful that they have been voted in by Labour.”

On Wednesday night, Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba tweeted: “The Conservative Party is an instrument of the filthy rich. They prosper when workers suffer.

“No Labour representative worth the name would ever put Tories in power.”

And former Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz described the deal in the capital as “unacceptable”.

He wrote: “An arrangement like that which is suggested here would be unacceptable not just to many Labour councillors in Edinburgh, but to many rank and file Labour Party members in the city as well.”

SNP MSP Siobhian Brown blasted Labour for “rolling over” and letting the Tories in the back door “at the first opportunity”.

She said: “Even Labour party members cannot stomach the grubby backroom deals their party has done with the Tories across Scotland. They can see these stitch-ups for what they really are as Labour ditch any principle it had left and open the door to let Tories into power.

“There will be Labour campaigners across the country disgusted after they knocked on doors for their party and did not ever imagine the councillors they helped elect would be working hand in hand with the Tories as soon as the election results came in.”

Brown also said that “cracks” are beginning to show after Sarwar’s no-deal promise was “completely shattered”.

She continued: “They have let the very architects of the cost of living crisis into power – a devastating move for communities across Scotland.

“Anas Sarwar has lost all credibility on the cost of living crisis as his party has allowed the Tories into power in a quarter of councils across Scotland – and he is also starting to lose credibility and authority with his own party as a result.”

Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell said: “Ahead of the local elections Anas Sarwar told the public that his party wouldn’t do any deals.

After the votes had been counted Labour then set to work colluding with the Tories in authorities across the country and locking out other progressive parties in the process. It’s all well and good for a few isolated Labour figures saying this is wrong, but they’ve not yet said what they plan to do about it.

“Labour paid a heavy price after working hand in glove with the Tories in 2014 and I am sure the public will reward them similarly for this betrayal at the next election.”

The Scottish Labour party have been contacted for comment.