Adam McVey to replace Frank Ross as SNP group leader

ALL three of Edinburgh's biggest parties have changed their leaders within hours of the council election results being declared.

Adam McVey is to replace Frank Ross as SNP group leader. Picture: Neil Hanna/TSPL

The newly elected SNP group - which now has the most seats at the City Chambers - elected Leith councillor Adam McVey to replace Frank Ross as its leader.

Former finance convener Alasdair Rankin, who had signalled his intention to challenge for the top post, is understood to have withdrawn his bid and thrown his weight behind Cllr Ross.

But the group voted 10-8 to put Cllr McVey in charge.

Meanwhile, Tory leader Cameron Rose was voted out of office by his group, despite the party’s success in winning an extra seven seats to make them the second biggest party and just one behind the SNP.

Long-serving Tory councillor Iain Whyte, who has served a previous stint as leader, will now take the helm of the new enlarged Conservative group.

And Labour - whose previous leader Andrew Burns stood down at the elections - have chosen former education convener Cammy Day to take over. Labour lost nine seats and slumped to third place in the elections. The choice for leader had been between Cllr Day and former planning convener Ian Perry.