City chiefs deny SNP group is poised to quit ruling coalition

Labour group leader Andrew Burns said he had heard from "two or three" SNP sources in Edinburgh that the party was concerned that the current administration would damage its reputation ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections.

He claims the SNP is preparing to walk out well before the 2011 parliamentary elections, despite the next council elections not being due until May 2012.

But council leader Jenny Dawe and SNP leader Steve Cardownie today insisted that there was no chance of the coalition collapsing.

They even claimed that the coalition was so strong that the parties may decide to try to work together again after the 2012 elections.

Councillor Burns, however, insisted he was "absolutely certain" the SNP would pull out of the coalition and "blame everything on the Lib Dems" before the 2011 Holyrood election.

He said: "They are actively planning to walk out of the council coalition in the next 18 months.

"It is just to receive any electoral advantage that they can. They realise the ongoing damage the council coalition is doing to services in Edinburgh, the latest one being care and support services."

Councillor Steve Cardownie said any such move would be "inept and crazy".

"Politically, why would we make a decision to abandon a coalition when we might be seeking a similar one in the future?

"We are working with the Liberal Democrats to get this city's finances on an even keel, we've made a lot of tough decisions and we are embroiled in the whole budget process with our colleagues in the coalition.

"This is just mischief making by Andrew Burns, and perhaps wishful thinking. He is quite a weak leader and always has been seen as that. Maybe this is an attempt to shore up his own position and deflect attention from him, given the internal wrangling in his group.

"It has never been viewed, canvassed or said privately."

A vote on the tram scheme – which was not included in the coalition agreement – has been the only time it has been split.

Councillor Dawe described Cllr Burns' claims as "a load of nonsense". She said: "It's probably a bit of sour grapes they have because they are not in coalition with us. As far as I'm aware, the SNP are very happy to share with us in all the accolades that the council has been getting.

"Apart from the tram – which everyone knows we disagree on as a policy matter – we are singing from the same hymn sheet on practically everything."