Labour has suspended nine councillors in Aberdeen after they defied orders and formed a coalition with the Tories.
The group teamed up with the Conservatives and independents to take control of the city council for the next five years – despite national Labour party bosses ruling they could not join any alliance with their main electoral rivals so close to the general election.
Kezia Dugdale warned yesterday afternoon that the party would take the “necessary disciplinary action” if the nine councillors failed to quit the newly-formed coalition.
After the deadline passed, Labour chiefs contacted all nine rebel councillors to inform them they had been suspended from the party with immediate effect, pending an investigation.
Last night, defiant group leader Jenny Laing – who was made council leader during the stormy meeting – said they had decided to “take the city forward rather than let the SNP drag it back”.
But SNP group leader Stephen Flynn said voters had been “betrayed” by the power grab.
The 19-member SNP won the most seats at the recent election, but were locked out of power following the Tory and Labour deal – which was dramatically bolstered when Liberal Democrat councillor Jennifer Stewart quit to join the independents.
Speaking in the chamber an emotional Mrs Stewart said leaving the party was “the hardest decision” of her life.
But despite Labour now being the junior partners in the coalition, with nine seats to the Conservatives 11, Mrs Laing was appointed as leader after a huge debate broke out over the rules of having co-leaders at the helm of Aberdeen City Council.
Originally, it had been mooted that Tory leader Douglas Lumsden would also lead the authority – but until the issue has been resolved by lawyers, he has taken on the sole role of finance convener.
Other top appointments include Labour stalwart Barney Crockett at Lord Provost, with Conservative Tom Mason as his deputy. The conveners of education, planning and transport were named as the Conservative’s John Wheeler, independent Marie Boulton and Labour’s Ross Grant respectively.
Last night Ms Dugdale said there were now no Labour councillors in the Granite City following the suspension.
But she quickly came under fire from Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who pointed to deals done between Labour and the SNP in other councils and questioned her commitment to the union.
And Mrs Laing insisted she would still be campaigning for Labour candidates in the upcoming election.
She said: “I will continue to protect the poorest and most vulnerable and continue to campaign on Labour and socialist values.
“I have been a party member for 35 years, and as an administration we will deliver Labour priorities.
“I would like to remain a member of the Labour party, we were faced with a choice and have chosen to take the city forward rather than let the SNP drag it back.”
She was backed by Mr Lumsden, who said the new administration would not simply be a continuation of the old.
He said: “Aberdeen needs councillors to work together across party lines for the benefit of all who live here.
“The city has gone through a difficult period due to the downturn in oil and gas and we need stability and strong leadership.
“Crucially, we now have a Unionist coalition that will put the interests of Aberdeen first, not obsess over a second independence referendum.
“However, the reckless threat of disciplinary action against Aberdeen Labour from Kezia Dugdale today could put that stability at risk.”
But SNP group leader Mr Flynn claimed both Labour and Conservative voters had been “betrayed” by the events in the town house.
He said: “We are now in a position where we have a Labour council leader, a Labour Lord Provost and a Labour manifesto about to be delivered because of backing from the Tories.
“Both Labour and Tory voters in the city must now be wondering what they voted for.
“With 19 SNP councillors elected, I think it’s clear that the city voted for positive change but instead there will be the same rejected administration as before.”
He was echoed by Liberal Democrat leader Ian Yuill who said he was “disappointed” by Mrs Stewart’s decision to leave the group, which has now been reduced to just three.
He said: “I think sadly this will be another five years of the discredited coalition we have had running the city for the past five years.”
