Key meeting will decide what form North Lanarkshire Council will take now

The SNP elected 36 councillors, more than Labour’s 33, but neither side has enough seats to take overall control of the authority. The next full council meeting will be held on Thursday, May 19, when council leadership must be decided.

In a statement on social media Labour group leader Jim Logue confirmed his party’s ambition to return to leadership of the council.

He said: “As in 2017, the Labour Group will seek to form a minority administration in North Lanarkshire to build on our impressive track record in housing, education, sector-leading anti-poverty initiatives and fighting unacceptable government cuts. It is not our intention to enter into coalition with any other party, nor have we sought to do so in the days since the election. We will ask 77 members to support our Labour minority administration next week.”

However the SNP group, which campaigned under the slogan “Change North Lanarkshire” also intends to take power, forming the party’s first administration in the council’s history.

The group stated: “The people of North Lanarkshire voted for change. A new administration is required, not more of the same with Labour propped up by the Tories or the British Unionist Party. We reiterate – we will seek to form the next Administration of North Lanarkshire Council, as the largest party.

“We will work with all progressive parties and independent councillors to form that administration. An administration that places the best outcomes for the best people of North Lanarkshire at its heart.”

The Green Party, which gained its first councillor in Claire Williams, looks likely to support the SNP bid as it has also ruled out working with the Conservative group.

They said: “The North Lanarkshire branch of the Scottish Green Party will not support the creation of any administration in North Lanarkshire Council that consists of the Conservative Party and/or the British Unionist Party.

“This is due to the significant and fundamental philosophical differences between those parties and ours.”