North Lanarkshire Council leader holds on to job following challenge from rival

Labour veteran Jim Logue has survived a vote to oust from the top job on one of Scotland's largest local authorities.

The leader of North Lanarkshire Council has held on to his job after a rival's bid to oust him was defeated.

Town hall veteran Jim Logue only took charge of the new Labour administration in August last year but faced a leadership challenge today from fellow councillor Heather Brannan-McVey.

He won a ballot of Labour members by 19 votes to 12.

The local authority, one of the biggest in Scotland, was taken over by the SNP following council elections in May 2022.

But the Nationalists lost power last year after a scandal centred on their former leader, Jordan Linden.

Logue has been boss of the Labour group in North Lanarkshire for the last seven years and previously served as council leader.

A party source previously told the Record: "Despite there being a lot of respect for Jim across the group, there’s a recognition that under his leadership we won less seats than we expected at the last election."

“There were also many members who had concerns at how the budget process was handled earlier in the year.

“With the North Lanarkshire SNP group in chaos, there is a feeling now is a perfect time for change.”

Councillor Logue is the only founding member of North Lanarkshire Council from its 1996 creation still to be in elected office at the Civic Centre, having earlier served for decades on predecessor Monklands District Council.

Kilsyth representative Councillor Brannan-McVey has been an elected member since 2012 and is currently the authority’s housing convener.

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