Edinburgh Council budget row is just a storm in a teacup – Steve Cardownie

The fallout from last month’s budget vote in Edinburgh City Chambers is still commanding the attention of our councillors.

Once members of a coalition, Labour's Cammy Day ousted the SNP's Adam McVey as Edinburgh City Council leader

Last week I wrote that council leader Cammy Day would still get the nod from most councillors to continue at the helm. There is little appetite for his removal, as any disruption of the current arrangement could allow the SNP and Greens to form an administration and that is a step too far for the other parties.

While the SNP can justifiably feel aggrieved that, as the largest party on the council by far, they have been marginalised by other groups and frozen out of the leadership, claiming the moral high ground has had little or no effect so far.

Closer working between the political groups, particularly when determining the city’s annual budget measures, seems to be the only way forward but it remains to be seen if the other parties will be willing to participate in the process. Given the attitude of the SNP and Greens, it might prove to be a tall order, but it is still worth the effort for all that.

So, Councillor Day will plough on as leader unless there is a backlash within the Labour party and it takes steps to pull the plug on the administration. But, to be fair, there has been little sign that this is on the horizon as Labour members seem to be content that at least the party has a hand on the tiller and that some of its policies are likely to see the light of day (pardon the pun – again).

Cliches notwithstanding, it is a storm in a teacup.