Aberdeen City Council no longer has co-leaders

Jenny Laing will now continue as sole leader of the council

Aberdeen City Council will no longer have co-leaders after the Conservatives did not put forward a new nominee.

Ryan Houghton was set to take on the role after being chosen as Tory group leader to replace MSP Douglas Lumsden.

However he withdrew after objections were raised as he was previously suspended by the party over alleged anti-Semitic, Islamophobic and homophobic comments.

Aberdeen Labour group leader Jenny Laing will continue as the sole leader.

• Tory drops bid to be council co-leader

• Conservatives select new group leader on council

Mr Lumsden - who intends to remain a councillor until next year's local elections - was elected as a list MSP for North East Scotland.

Ryan Houghton had initially been chosen to be the leader of the Conservative group at Aberdeen City Council

However, group leader replacement Mr Houghton - whose suspension from the Conservatives was lifted last year - said his nomination had become a "political football" and a "distraction" in the city.

It has now been decided that he will replace Mr Lumsden as convenor of the city growth and resources committee and also become vice-convener of the urgent business committee.

The nine Aberdeen Labour councillors are currently suspended by Scottish Labour.

They were suspended in 2017 after they disobeyed former leader Kezia Dugdale's instructions not to form a coalition with the Conservatives.

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