A FORMER SNP Inverclyde councillor shunned by his party colleagues after being found guilty of flouting the ethical code for elected members has aligned himself with the local authority's two Tories.
Innes Nelson now shares an office in Municipal Buildings with Conservatives David Wilson and Graeme Brooks - with the political triumvirate vowing to support the minority Labour administration on an 'issue by issue basis'.
Tory group leader Councillor Wilson confirmed to the Telegraph that he and Councillor Brooks have formed an ‘informal affiliation’ with Councillor Nelson.
The ex-SNP man quit the nationalist party's council group and became an independent member after they removed him from the convenership of the Audit Committee last month.
The move came after the Standards Commission imposed a month-long suspension from all local authority business on Councillor Nelson for failing to declare an interest before intervening in a planning application for a major development near his home.
READ MORE: Inverclyde councillor Innes Nelson resigns from SNP
Councillor Wilson said: “Councillor Nelson has moved into the Conservative and Unionist office, and we’ve created an informal affiliation of Conservative and Unionists and Independent, making three of us.
“We will, on an issue-by-issue basis, support a minority Labour administration.
“This isn’t a coalition, but I’m very happy with this arrangement.
“I’ve known Innes for a long time, and I think he was badly treated by the SNP.
“Councillor Graeme Brooks and I have made him very welcome in our office and we look forward to working with him.”
The local authority is now made up of nine Labour councillors, seven SNP, four independent and two Conservatives.
Newly independent representative Councillor Nelson told the Telegraph that he would support ‘sensible’ policies that would benefit local people.
He added: “As an independent on Inverclyde Council, I am now able to vote independently.
“As such I have the ability to work alongside other Councillors to support sensible policies that will benefit the people of Inverclyde.
“With that in mind I will be supportive of the minority Labour administration where that is the case.”
In response to the latest developments, council leader Stephen McCabe, who heads up the local authority’s Labour group, emphasised that there was no formal arrangement in place between Labour and the three councillors.
He said: “Councillor Wilson has notified me of his Group’s new partnership with Councillor Nelson and their intention to support a minority Labour administration on an issue-by-issue basis.
“This is the same informal arrangement that has been in place since the new Administration was formed in May 2022, other than now Councillor Nelson has aligned himself with the Conservative and Unionist Group.
“I should be clear that there is no formal agreement, written or otherwise, between the Labour group and Councillors Wilson, Brooks and Nelson.
“I do however welcome their support for the continuation of a minority Labour administration and their recognition that we are best placed to lead the council.
“The only formal agreements we have in place are with Provost [Drew] McKenzie and Councillor [Tommy] McVey dating back to May 2022.
“We did also have an agreement with Councillor [Lynne] Quinn but as she has now dissolved her partnership with Provost McKenzie and Councillor McVey she is no longer bound by that agreement.”
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