After the political tsunami hit Scotland, Councillors of other political parties defect to the SNP, who will be the first Glasgow Labour Councillor?

Dear All

When the political Tsunami hit Scotland on May 5th, the landscape was changed possibly forever.

As Councillors in political parties popped their heads up to look at the carnage, they thought to themselves, the game’s up!

Now, another two Scottish councillors have defected to the SNP last night, including a former election agent for Labour peer Lord Foulkes.

It seems that stalwarts feel it is better to be with a party that actually works for and on behalf of the people.

And the SNP are now predicting more defections ahead of next year’s local elections.

You might even see Glasgow Labour Councillors of shame trying to switch to the SNP, as the challenge to the Labour fiefdom is credible.

The decision by independent councillors Glynis Sinclair in Highland and Douglas Campbell, in South Ayrshire, to join the SNP makes the number of defects from other political parties rounding off at four.

In the immediate aftermath of the Holyrood result, Mike Dillon and Marie McGurk defected from the Liberal Democrats to the SNP on Renfrewshire Council.

The Lib Dems had a massive kicking at the hands of the voters.

By jumping now, councillors changing sides before next May qualify for SNP candidate selection.

Lib Dem Glynis Sinclair said:

“It is never easy to change to another political party but it became clear long before the Westminster election that the Liberal Democrats were losing touch and I have long seen that the SNP reflected the values of both myself and my constituents more directly.”

And a funny point, Alex Dingwall, formerly of the SNP jumped to the Lib Dems, he must be regretting that decision.

Councillor Douglas Campbell is a strange fish; he is a former leader of the Labour group at South Ayrshire Council and an election agent to Lord George Foulkes when he was an Ayrshire MP.

He says he no longer recognised the Labour Party, which has abandoned the working class in so many ways.

Campbell is currently praising “the dedication of the local SNP group and SNP Government in delivering positive measures for the communities of north Ayr.”

Councillor McGurk added:

“I’ve been thinking about this for some time. There are changes in Westminster and decisions made by the LibDem leadership which have left me unable, in all conscience, to continue my membership of the party.”

Aileen Campbell, the local government minister, said:

“Locally and nationally these four councillors represent many people turning to the SNP as their natural party.”

With an internal war on the cards between Glasgow Labour Councillors of shame over seats next May, who will be the first to jump?

Their minds will be focused on that issue; some current Labour Councillors of shame might be losing their seats.

When that idea takes root, it will be most unpleasant.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University