Labour council groups will have the “flexibility” to strike deals with other parties - despite a coalition ban trumpeted during the election campaign.
A leaked document shows that any proposed arrangements would have to reflect the party’s position on the cost-of-living crisis and opposition to austerity.
A key plank of the Scottish Labour council election campaign was a promise not to enter into any formal coalitions with the SNP or the Tories.
The hardline stance raised eyebrows as Anas Sarwar ’s party had shared power with the SNP in places such as Edinburgh, Fife and Dumfries and Galloway over the previous five years, as well as with the Tories in Aberdeen.
A note in the name of Scottish Labour general secretary James Kelly, dated May 5th, reveals the curbs may not not as black and white as previously believed.
Council groups were reminded of the “clear” position on no coalitions with Labour's two main rivals, but the document added: “There would be flexibility around local agreements post-election.”
The note confirmed that where no one party had an overall majority on a council, groups could not enter into arrangements without the “specific approval” of Labour’s Scottish Executive Committee (SEC).
An SEC sub committee would consider any “post-election arrangement requests” from Labour groups.
The note stated: “The proposal should set out clearly and in detail the policy aims of the proposed administration. These policy priorities should be drawn directly from the local manifesto and in line with Scottish Labour’s National Manifesto for Local Government launched on 7th April by Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour Leader.
“The proposal should also address key issues such [sic] action to address the cost of living crisis, anti-austerity measures and local government pay.”
The “flexibility” could open the door to Labour leading minority administrations in some councils after receiving support from other pro-UK parties.
Labour came second in North Lanarkshire, but it has been reported they had reached out after the election to pro-Union politicians in a bid to outmanoeuvre the SNP.
However, the guidance looks like putting an insurmountable obstacle in the way of the SNP and Labour striking another deal in Edinburgh.
A party insider said the coalition ban was always directed more at the SNP than the Tories, with the “flexibility” provision a way of drawing in support from pro-UK parties.
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “Scottish Labour has been clear – Labour councillors will engage in no coalitions or pacts with any other parties and seek to form minority administrations.”
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