Furious Sturgeon calls out ‘shambles’ as Scottish Labour suspends all Aberdeen councillors
NICOLA Sturgeon has branded Scottish Labour a "shambles" after the party suspended nine Aberdeen councillors after they formed a coalition with the Conservatives.
Defying strict orders not to team up with the Tories the Scottish Labour councillors agreed to team up to run Aberdeen.
Labour's Scottish Executive Committee were given until 5pm on Wednesday to pull out of the arrangement.
The party warned the group they would face disciplinary action.
Now, each councillor has been contacted to be told they have been suspended from the Scottish Labour Party with immediate effect, pending investigation.
Earlier this month the SNP won the most seats in the city in the local election.
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Suspension doesn't change fact that these councillors have used Labour votes to give Aberdeen a Tory council
But three independent councillors have also joined the coalition, giving the administration a working majority.
Nicola Sturgeon branded the deal a “shambles”.
She said: “What a total shambles.
“Suspension doesn't change fact that these councillors have used Labour votes to give Aberdeen a Tory council.”
Former SNP council leader Callum McCaig called the deal "absolutely shameful".
Kezia Dugdale, Scottish Labour leader, defended the decision on suspension.
She said: "Labour values must always run through any deals in local government.
"The hundreds of thousands of Scots who vote for us have the absolute right to expect us to defend local services against cuts and properly fund the services that so many people rely on such as education and care for the elderly.
"Labour cannot do any deal with another party if it would result in further austerity being imposed on local communities.
"Tory austerity risks hurting so many families in Aberdeen, and the Labour Party simply will not stand for that."
All nine councillors had submitted a request to join up with the Tories but it was rejected.