DEAR Jeremy Corbyn MP,

I am writing to you on the day of your visit to my constituency of Motherwell and Wishaw to raise with you the coalition between Labour and the Tories in North Lanarkshire Council.

Following the Scottish Council Elections in 2017, the SNP were the largest party in North Lanarkshire Council with Labour coming second. A progressive alliance was proposed by SNP group leader, Cllr David Stocks, to Labour group leader, Cllr Jim Logue. This progressive alliance would ensure that the worst of the Tory austerity inflicted on Scotland and its local authorities would be tempered as much as possible, and that money could be used to protect the most vital public services on which communities rely.

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This alliance was rejected by Labour in favour of a backdoor coalition with the Tories.

The Labour-Tory coalition in North Lanarkshire has resulted in cuts to school transport, forcing more children to walk further to school. Cuts to classroom assistants who are essential for achieving the SNP Scottish Government’s aim of closing the educational attainment gap. Shamefully, it has also resulted in Labour councillors voting to protect Tory group leader, Cllr Meghan Gallacher, as Convener of NLC’s Audit and Scrutiny Committee after she failed to properly investigate claims from SNP councillors of racist comments made by ex-BNP member Cllr Stephen Goldsack.

A recent leaked email from Cllr Logue to Cllr Gallacher confirmed that Labour and Tories will work formally together to present a budget in 2019/20. This email divulged a private conversation between the SNP leader, Cllr Stocks, and Labour leader, Cllr Logue, during which Cllr Stocks ruled out the idea of the SNP working with the Tories to form a budget – rightfully so!

During that same conversation, Cllr Logue rejected the SNP’s proposal for a progressive coalition. The email also proposed a budget working group comprised of Labour and Tory councillors.

It is disappointing that Labour would put constitutional differences before opposing the Tories and their regime of austerity and division of ordinary, working people.

Our priority in local government should be to protect services and equality within communities. It has no bearing on the constitution of the UK. When you say that it is only Labour that can remove the Tories from power, the example of North Lanarkshire Council demonstrates just how hollow that claim is.

You have come to Motherwell and Wishaw to talk about “socialist values”. Actions are louder than words.

Take action and end the Labour-Tory coalition in North Lanarkshire Council once and for all.