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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Highland Council coalition splits | Highland Council coalition splits |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Highland Council is facing political uncertainty after the SNP pulled out of the ruling coalition with the Independent group. | Highland Council is facing political uncertainty after the SNP pulled out of the ruling coalition with the Independent group. |
| The SNP had earlier forced the Independent group into demanding the resignation of one of its leading members, Councillor Isobel McCallum. | The SNP had earlier forced the Independent group into demanding the resignation of one of its leading members, Councillor Isobel McCallum. |
| The Independents are the largest single political grouping on the council. | The Independents are the largest single political grouping on the council. |
| Their leader John Laing said they would continue as a minority ruling group, while trying to form new alliances. | Their leader John Laing said they would continue as a minority ruling group, while trying to form new alliances. |
| He said: "One of the strengths of the Independent party is exactly that, they are independent members. | He said: "One of the strengths of the Independent party is exactly that, they are independent members. |
| "Apart from the odd one or two who have strayed a wee bit from the fold, we have largely stayed intact over the past 14 months in our coalition and delivered well for the Highland people." | "Apart from the odd one or two who have strayed a wee bit from the fold, we have largely stayed intact over the past 14 months in our coalition and delivered well for the Highland people." |
| SNP group leader John Finnie said: "There are some very fine people among the Independent group but there are clearly individuals within there who, right from the outset, sought to undermine the Scottish National Party's involvement in that coalition." | SNP group leader John Finnie said: "There are some very fine people among the Independent group but there are clearly individuals within there who, right from the outset, sought to undermine the Scottish National Party's involvement in that coalition." |
| He said his party was now looking for other people to "put together a coalition". | He said his party was now looking for other people to "put together a coalition". |
| The council is made up of 33 members of the Independent group, 21 Liberal Democrats, 17 SNP, seven Labour and two non-aligned councillors. |