Three north-east Labour branches have called for the end of the suspension of the “Aberdeen Nine”.

At a joint meeting on Saturday, Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) from the north-east passed a motion calling for an end to the 18-month suspension of the councillors, who were suspended from Scottish Labour by former leader Kezia Dugdale for making an unauthorised deal, forming a coalition with the Conservatives at Aberdeen City Council (ACC).

Barry Mitchell, the chairman of Donside CLP, who brought the motion, said: “Aberdeen’s Labour councillors know that their first duty is to the city they were elected to serve, which is why they have worked with others to implement the key promises in Labour’s 2017 manifesto.

“They deserve the party’s full support, and I am glad so many members from across the city have come together to back our local councillors.”

North-east MSP Lewis Macdonald welcomed the move.

Mr Macdonald said: “Local Labour Party members have called for an end to suspension of the Aberdeen Nine, and for threats to expel them from the Labour Party to be dropped.

“I will back their call for Labour’s National Constitutional Committee to restore full membership rights to our local councillors, and for a return to grown-up debate and discussion in place of heavy-handed disciplinary action.”

The suspension would need to be lifted by the Scottish Labour National Constitutional Committee, which has not set a date for its next meeting.

The Scottish Labour Party did not respond to requests for comment.