Councillor Grant Laing has resigned as Leader of the SNP Group at Perth & Kinross Council with immediate effect, citing personal reasons.
The announcement was made by the SNP Group on Sunday, confirming that Councillor Laing, who has led the council for the past three and a half years, is stepping down from his leadership role.
Councillor Eric Drysdale, Deputy Leader of the SNP Group, will assume the position of Acting Group Leader and Interim Leader of the Council until a successor is confirmed.
Mr Drysdale said colleagues were taken aback by the news.
“Grant’s decision has come as a shock to all of his councillor colleagues, but we shall all step up our efforts to fill the gap his departure will leave,” he said.
“Grant has given his all in the role of Leader of Perth & Kinross Council, driven by his wholehearted commitment to our Group’s core principles, underpinned by a vision of a Perth & Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality.”
Opposition politicians have already weighed in on the development.
Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, described the resignation as further evidence of “chaos” within the SNP administration.
“This is the SNP who have closed public toilets, threatened local libraries, closed Bells Sports Centre, flooded the North Inch, let the grass grow wild, put the ice rink at risk, and are pushing on with their hugely unpopular plans for Thimblerow. All the while they hike Council Tax to record levels,” he said.
“New leadership on the Council means an opportunity for a change of direction – it is time to put the economy and needs of local residents first, as local Conservatives would do.”
The SNP Group has yet to confirm when a permanent replacement for Mr Laing will be appointed, longside his resignation, Mr Laing has ended his membership of the SNP.
