Aberdeenshire’s SNP leader has warned the new council administration that his group is waiting in the wings to seize power again if they slip up.
Richard Thomson was ousted as Aberdeenshire Council’s co-leader when the region’s Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups struck a coalition deal this week.
Now leader of the opposition, Mr Thomson has sent a strong message to the incoming leadership that their majority does not make them safe.
“We’ll be holding them to account over the totality of council business,” the Ellon councillor said. “In Aberdeenshire we tend not to have too much trouble.
“We don’t disagree and seek division for the sake of it but there will be occasions and I think it’s important we have those disagreements honestly and out in the open.
“There will be no free pass, whatever the majority. Theirs is a majority which looks bigger on paper than it turns out to be in practice.”
In the summer of 2015, Mr Thomson wrestled power away from Conservative chief Jim Gifford when the then deputy council leader, Martin Kitts-Hayes, switched allegiance along with several other councillors.
Now Mr Gifford is back in power and his SNP counterpart has cautioned him against taking his majority of 43 councillors in the 70-member chamber for granted.
He added: “Events happen to blow what looks like even the strongest off course. We have a record to be proud of and we stand ready to play our part in running Aberdeenshire again should the opportunity present itself.”
Last night the new council leader hit back and said he was confident of defending his post.
“We’re in this for five years,” Mr Gifford said. “We set this administration up, like in previous years, with the view to be a strong and stable administration.
“Last time four people held the balance of power. By changing sides they made things happen. That won’t happen again.”
The incoming administration is made up of 23 Conservative councillors, 14 Liberal Democrats and six independents.
The opposition group is comprised of 21 SNP members, Labour leader Alison Evison and independent councillor Stephen Calder. There are also four unaffiliated independents in the chamber at Woodhill House.
