The SNP has branded Scottish Labour’s opposition to the Tories ‘an utter sham’ after two Labour councillors have been suspended from the party for refusing to do a deal with the Tories in Edinburgh council.
Anas Sarwar’s party took the decision yesterday to suspend the two Labour councillors in Edinburgh who did not vote for the deal Scottish Labour made with the Tories which allowed the party to cling onto power in the Capital, despite only winning 13 out of 62 seats across the city.
The deal that Scottish Labour hatched in May saw the party giving the paid, senior positions in the Edinburgh council’s administration to Tory councillors – the smallest party in the Capital’s council chambers – in exchange for their support.
Commenting SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said:
“You couldn’t make it up.
“Scottish Labour is shamefully suspending councillors for refusing to do grubby backroom deals with the Tories – the very party they claim to want to kick out of power.
“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.”
