The SNP group have blasted Labour for rejecting their coalition offer to form a minority administration.

At last week’s first statutory meeting of North Ayrshire Council following the recent elections, a minority Labour administration was elected thanks to the votes of four Conservatives and an ex-Conservative.

SNP Group Leader Councillor Marie Burns said: “The SNP won the elections in North Ayrshire. We received by far and away the most votes of any political party with almost 40 per cent of votes cast compared to around 27 per cent for Labour. Notwithstanding this fact, I believed, and still believe, that an SNP/Labour coalition reflected the best outcome for North Ayrshire and reflected the desire of almost 70 per cent of local voters.

“It was extremely disappointing that Labour chose to proceed on such a blinkered basis and refused even to enter discussions. Labour groups elsewhere have taken a different view and have come together with the SNP to protect our communities from the savage Tory cuts that have still to come."

SNP Depute Leader, Councillor Alan Hill, said: “It was bad enough that Labour refused to even discuss options for the Council but things took a turn for the worse at the meeting itself. I could not believe my eyes when Labour were voted into power on the back of hard right Conservative Councillors.

“The Conservatives had maintained throughout that they would not be supporting any political party but four of the newest Councillors broke ranks to support Labour. I have to say that a Labour/Tory alliance was not something I ever thought I’d see in North Ayrshire.

“Things then went from bad to worse when the Labour Group voted to elect a hard right Tory onto our Health and Social Care Partnership. Imagine, Labour members putting a representative of the Party of benefit cuts and the rape clause onto the body that looks after many of our most vulnerable people? I wonder how many people who voted Labour would have approved of that.”

Cllr Burns said “For North Ayrshire’s new Tory members this was not about council services, this was not about delivering for the people of North Ayrshire. These votes were only about the Independence question, something which our council has no say, and no control over.

“It is a sad day when Labour Councillors are happy to line up with, and vote for, Tories who oppose almost everything that Labour claims to support. It saddens me so much that Labour Councillors refuse to even discuss a progressive coalition for our area and then publicly vote for right wing Tories. If I was a Labour voter in North Ayrshire today I'd be asking questions of the people elected to represent me.”