After being ousted by the SNP, Argyll and Bute Council’s former leader, Lib Dem councillor Robin Currie, now wants to join them in a new administration, taking four other Lib Dem councillors with him.
Councillor Currie was deposed, alongside the ruling coalition of Tory, Lib Dem and independent councillors called The Argyll, Lomond and Islands Group (TALIG), in a close-run coup on April 4.
The SNP-led opposition’s bid to seize control of the 36-seat Kilmory Castle chamber came down to a tied 18-18 vote and a cut of cards to elect a new leader and provost.
By the luck of the draw, the SNP group’s leader Jim Lynch, Councillor for Oban South and the Isles, became the new Council Leader and has been forming a new administration, set to be revealed on April 24.
Then in a shock announcement this week, councillor Currie, the Lib Dem group leader, left TALIG to cross the floor to a new SNP-led administration.
On behalf of all five Lib Dem councillors, Mr Currie told the remaining members of TALIG on April 16: "The LibDem Group have entered into discussions with the SNP administration and as such we give notice that we are now removing ourselves from TALIG as of today.
"We have all enjoyed working with you all and we did operate as an effective and stable administration. I personally thank you all for your extraordinary support over the years as it was much appreciated.
"However the prospect of being in opposition didn’t fill me with much joy and while realising that the way ahead may be rocky, I think it’s best that we are in partnership with the administration group.
"At this point in time, no deal has been signed but we are moving forward."
The other four Lib Dem councillors are Graham Hardie (Helensburgh Central), Paul Donald Kennedy (Helensburgh and Lomond South), Ross Moreland (Dunoon), and William Sinclair (Cowal).
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