Defection plunges coalition into doubt

Published on Thursday 21 July 2011 12:14

THE future of Edinburgh's ruling Liberal Democrat-SNP coalition was in doubt today following the defection of a Lib Dem councillor to the Nationalists.

Although Elaine Morris's switch of party makes no difference to the coalition's narrow hold on power, Lib Dem councillors are annoyed at her move and could be ready to pull the plug on their four-year partnership with the SNP.

Lib Dem council leader Jenny Dawe said "all options" were up for consideration.

The Evening News revealed yesterday that Cllr Morris, who represents Forth ward, had quit the Lib Dems for the SNP after becoming disillusioned with the Lib Dem-Tory coalition at Westminster and what she called a lack of leadership over the trams in Edinburgh. Cllr Dawe said she had not known of the defection in advance and claimed Cllr Morris had not spoken to her about her concerns.

She said: "I'm very surprised, and very surprised at the way she has gone about it.

"If people are unhappy the courteous and mature thing to do is discuss it with your colleagues."

She said she had only learned that Cllr Morris was unhappy when she returned from holiday a couple of days ago.

Cllr Dawe said: "I tried to speak to her, but she handed in a letter and ran down the stairs. I left messages on her phone and she chose not to get back to me."

The letter was a copy of one Cllr Morris had sent to the chairman of Edinburgh North & Leith Lib Dems, resigning from the party.

Cllr Dawe said: "It was rather confused and . . . wishy-washy.

"She mentioned the Westminster coalition's policies on tuition fees and the subsidy for nuclear power. These are things many of us are unhappy about but we remain in the party and find other ways to express our distaste."

She said Cllr Morris had indicated several months ago that she would not stand for re-election next year and was planning to move to England.

Cllr Morris's switch of parties means the Lib Dems now have 16 councillors, the SNP 13, while Labour has 15, the Tories 11 and the Greens three.

Cllr Dawe said: "We are still the biggest single party, but we will have to consider our position. We will be discussing how we want to play out the months before the election.

"It's now a different SNP group we are dealing with and we have to consider where we stand."One group member has already said to me 'Should we go it alone or look at someone else to go with?'"

Kevin Lang, who was election agent for Cllr Morris in 2007, said: "I'm surprised she has decided to join the SNP given the language I've heard her use to describe Steve Cardownie over the years."

He said Cllr Morris had been a Conservative before she joined the Lib Dems. "Now she has chosen to join the SNP. If people in the Labour Party are patient, I'm sure they will get their turn."

Cllr Morris confirmed she had been a member of the Conservative Party for four or five years up until 1976. She said when she told the Lib Dems she would not seek re-election it was because she might be moving due to her husband's work, but the situation had now changed and she would be staying in Edinburgh.

She said she had been given a warm welcome by the SNP. "One or two Lib Dems are not very happy, but that's to be expected."

On her views about Cllr Cardownie, she said: "Steve and I have a healthy respect for one another. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses."