Scottish Liberal Democrats would not prop up ‘failing SNP’ councils, leader says

Scottish Liberal Democrat councillors will not prop up “failing SNP council administrations”, Alex Cole-Hamilton has said.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader was in Edinburgh to launch the party’s local government manifesto ahead of the May 5 elections.

Generally, he said, local party group leaders will be able to make decisions on entering into coalitions with opposition parties.

However backing up failing administrations would give the Edinburgh Western MSP “real anxiety”.

He said: “I would certainly have a problem and real anxiety of a Lib Dem group propping up a failing administration.

“Take Glasgow and Edinburgh – both SNP-led administrations.

“They have run those cities into the ground and I cannot see a circumstance where a Lib Dem group would prop those administrations up.”

Launching the party’s manifesto, the Scottish Liberal Democrats announced a range of policies, including a cost-of-living rescue package which proposes a VAT cut worth £600 to every household.

The manifesto also includes putting a stop to the SNP’s social care takeover, introducing hundreds more counsellors in schools and the protection of local council budgets after repeated budget cuts from the Scottish Government.

Many local authorities have had to increase council tax across Scotland to make up a funding shortfall after budgets were cut in real terms.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “For years we’ve had this situation where local authorities have had to hang on every single word of the finance secretary [Kate Forbes] when she delivers her budget and then beg for more money, because there’s always a cut in it.

“And then suddenly the finance secretary will find some (money) down the back of the sofa.

“That’s not a respectful way to go about business so first and foremost we want to devolve things like business rates and council tax to properly ensure they are fully controlled locally.”

He added: “We need to recognise that communities and councils in our city chambers know about their communities more than ministers in Edinburgh do, so we should reverse that power imbalance.”

A key feature of the party’s manifesto plans seek to remove the “power surge” of SNP ministers in Holyrood as far as local government decision-making is concerned.