Labour, a minority administration since 2022 supported by the Lib Dems and Tories, appear determined to cling onto power in the capital.
However with less than a week until the crucial City Chambers vote, they are still yet to confirm their nomination for council leader.
The group, which is down to 10 following Day’s suspension by the party pending further investigation, met on Thursday and are due to meet again on Sunday to come to a decision.
It’s understood those who have thrown their hat in the ring are Deputy Lord Provost Lezley Marion Cameron, Housing Convener Jane Meagher, and backbench councillor Katrina Faccenda. According to sources, Cllr Meagher has emerged as the top pick of the Lib Dems, whose votes will be vital for Labour to continue as a minority administration.
Some Labour group members are said to be unhappy at the interference in the selection process.
One “hacked off” Labour councillor said: “The Lib Dems have been meddling in the process by tapping up members of the Labour group.
“They should stop meddling and put up or shut up.
“If they want to run the council, run the council. But I’m not comfortable ending up in a situation with a leader of the Labour that’s nothing more than a Lib Dem patsy.”
They added this “crosses a line”.
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When the accusation of meddling was put to a Lib Dem source, they replied: “If Labour think they can just put up anyone to be the new council leader and the Lib Dems will automatically vote for them then they’re wrong.
“We realise Labour have had a difficult week and we want to be patient and respectful.
“But Labour needs to realise they are the third party on the council and will need LibDem votes if they have any chance of staying in office.”
They told The Herald it was still “very much an open question” who the Labour group would choose, adding: “There are clearly people that we would be more comfortable with than others.”
The Lib Dem group are also set to meet on Sunday once Labour’s pick emerges, and will decide at that point whether to make a bid to form a minority administration themselves.
Another Labour source said: “Jane Meagher is the preferred candidate of Kevin Lang and the Lib Dems.
“In this game that they are playing of making a Labour administration a proxy Lib Dem administration, they would want a leader that would be most in line with what they want.”
Cllr Meagher was approached for comment but is understood to be in Tanzania visiting family over Christmas. If installed as the new council leader next week, she is unlikely to be present in the chamber.
Furthermore she has come under fire from Shelter Scotland this week over the council’s homelessness strategy. The charity called on the housing regulator to put the housing department under special measures, saying it had “lost confidence” in the current leadership.
Meanwhile the SNP councillors said they approached the Lib Dems to suggest forming a majority coalition to “deliver an agenda of investing in communities, stepping up climate change action and delivering for our children in the classroom” but were turned down.
However, this was account disputed by the Lib Dems, who have ruled out a partnership with the SNP in any event.
“It is impossible to see an arrangement that would have the Liberal Democrats and the SNP,” a Lib Dem source said. “I think they are open to anything that has them in power in some way, shape or form.”
An SNP source said: “The city needs stable, selfless government but the Lib Dems have flatly refused to work with us for the good of the city.
“We’ve offered Lib Dems power… but Kevin Lang has told us he would rather support a Labour Party drowning in corruption allegations and failing to deliver for voters.
“All this game-playing is just about not taking responsibility. Same old Lib Dems. They just want to point at potholes and make sure they’re never responsible for fixing those potholes.”