TWO Scottish Labour councillors who defied orders to back a “grubby” deal with the Tories to keep the SNP out of power have been suspended from the party.
Ross McKenzie and Katrina Faccenda have been temporarily excluded from Edinburgh Labour for rejecting the deal with Conservative and LibDem councillors.
The SNP said the move shows Anas Sarwar’s opposition to the Tories is “complete drivel”.
Group leader Cammy Day struck a deal with the Tories and LibDems to keep Labour in power in the capital by installing some of their councillors in positions of power instead of bargaining with his former coalition partners, the SNP.
We reported previously how Labour secured a minority administration in Edinburgh despite having only 13 councillors to the SNP’s 19 – and how more LibDems voted for Day’s group than his own councillors because of McKenzie and Faccenda’s abstentions.
The Tories came in last place in the city with just nine councillors, down by 50% on their 2017 result, but were awarded paid roles on the council in exchange for supporting Labour.
McKenzie and Faccenda have been suspended for eight weeks, meaning they will be excluded from group meetings and activities during this period and will be forced to temporarily move offices.
The Edinburgh Evening News reports Day as saying: “It's disappointing the two members chose to break the group whip which is how we're all elected and abide by democratic decisions.
“The internal process has been finalised and the group's decision is to suspend them for eight weeks with immediate effect.”
In a joint statement, the two councillors said: "We respect the outcome of the disciplinary process which has been conducted in good faith.
"But collective responsibility requires internal democracy and accountability.
"We will continue to fight for a Labour Party that respects the views of its members and affiliates.
"It's now up to those in leadership positions to show how this Labour minority administration can make a positive difference"
Gordon MacDonald, the SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, said: “All Anas Sarwar’s talk about standing up to the Boris Johnson is being shown to be more hollow by the day, as his party stands shoulder to shoulder with the Tories at every opportunity – whether it be in council chambers, the fight for fair pay for workers or standing in the way of Scottish democracy.
“People across Edinburgh sent the Tories a clear message less than two months ago but Labour have chosen to ignore it and punish those who have chosen to respect it.
“All Anas Sarwar’s talk of opposing the toxic Tories is complete drivel and people across Scotland should be in absolutely no doubt that the only way to escape the devastating consequences of Westminster control is for Scotland to become a normal independent country.”
Figures within Scottish Labour have also been critical of the move and others like it across the country, with north east MSP Mercedes Villalba saying: "No Labour representative worth the name would ever put Tories in power."
Scottish Labour have been approached for comment.
