IRVINE’S MP has slammed local councillors for pushing through a ban on campaign posters on North Ayrshire lampposts.

As reported by the Times last week, NAC’s opposition of Labour, Conservative and Independent councillors voted en masse to ban campaign posters on North Ayrshire Council property ahead of the European Election and Independence Referendum.

The matter was decided at the last meeting of the council before the Easter break, when Tory Councillor Tom Marshall hijacked a motion to make some minor changes to the rules around political campaign posters with his own amendment to completely ban them from council property.

The SNP, seeking to keep things more or less unchanged, were outvoted 13 to 11, with the local Labour group claiming it as a triumph.

However, Labour’s MP for Central Ayrshire, Brian Donohoe, has voiced his dismay at the decision, saying he is “appalled” that he wasn’t contacted prior to the vote.

Mr Donohoe said: “I do not accept that this decision is a good decision for democracy and have always believed that anything that can be done to attract more voters to the polling stations should be done.

“Furthermore, I was not consulted in any way about this decision. I was angry when South Ayrshire Council did the same thing without consulting with elected representatives and I intend to write to the Chief Executive of North Ayrshire Council to ask for reconsideration to be made and for this decision to be reversed.

“The banning of these posters is perceived as a short term advantage. However, I believe it will result in a long term disadvantage. I am appalled that I was not contacted before this decision was taken.” The move to get rid of posters from council property has been interpreted by SNP councillors as an effort to hinder the Yes campaign just a few months from the referendum on Scottish Independence.

However, Labour Councillor Donald Reid, who seconded the motion, told the Times: “The SNP fail to mention that other councils and the Scottish Government have banned political parties from putting election posters on their lampposts and it has had no impact on voter turnout.

“The general public often complain about how unsightly election posters are so it would appear a sensible policy to ban them as they don’t serve the same purpose in modern day political campaigns the number of parties had blossomed and so have the posters.” Following the comments from Mr Donohoe, a spokesperson for the SNP council group commented: “It’s telling that the MP would wish to distance himself from his Better Together colleagues in North Ayrshire Council. “The paper brought to full council was a re-affirmation of the existing policy, a policy which has worked very well for years. Mr Donohoe should be very clear that it is the action of the Labour/Tory alliance that has resulted in the removal of this long established local practice. “All elected members have a responsibility to raise awareness of the democratic process and increase participation in elections. Readers will make their own minds up about whether the Better Together councillors’ actions meet that responsibility.”