Highland councillor quits SNP group
A Nationalist Highland councillor has dramatically quit the SNP group on Highland Council this morning - only a day after the deal to stage an independence referendum was agreed.
Donnie Kerr announced his decision to leave the SNP on Highland Council in an email to colleagues.
But the outspoken Inverness Central member, who has been at loggerheads with the party leadership in the past and was suspended for an alleged remark made to a female colleague last year, has announced he will still campaign for an independent Scotland.
It comes less than 24 hours after the UK and Scottish governments agreed that the historic vote will be held in 2014 although it is understood his timing is unconnected.
In the email, Councillor Kerr said he would continue to represent the interest of his constituents as an "independent councillor".
It is not yet known if that would see him seek membership of the opposition group of Independent councillors or instead become non-aligned and unattached to any group.
If he chose the latter, becoming a member of any committee could be very difficult.
Councillor Kerr could not be contacted.
His decision is a blow to the SNP-Liberal Democrat-Labour administration which controversially took control of the local authority in May after the elections at the expense of the Independents.
The administration had enjoyed a majority of 45 out of the 80 councillors in the region before the city councillor left.
If the Independents recruited Councillor Kerr to their ranks it would give them 36 members.
Only last week Councillor Kerr criticised the administration for its use of the Inverness Common Good Fund compared to previous coalitions and in August he also spoke out against the handling of a planning application for the new town of Tornagrain near Inverness and signed a notice of amendment with Independent councillors.
SNP group and council leader Drew Hendry said: "Clearly Donnie has decided that he would better represent his constituents working outside of the group.
"We certainly wish him all the best."
Leader of the opposition Carolyn Wilson said the move was a huge blow to the coalition and claimed its members were being "whipped to within an inch of their" lives and had to ask for permission to speak at meetings in the council chamber in Inverness.
"Obviously Donnie Kerr is a very able and astute local councillor," she said.
"But at every meeting they are whipped to within an inch of their lives and they [administration] are taking away free thinking."
Councillor Wilson said she had not spoken to the city councillor yet but would be keen for him to join the group.
Councillor Kerr was disciplined by the SNP last year after allegations that he was abusive towards former Inverness West councillor Pauline Munro.
Prior to the election, outgoing ward colleague Peter Corbett launched a stinging attack on Councillor Kerr and called him "a disgrace" and "the worst kind of representative".
The former Inverness depute provost said at the time that Councillor Kerr would not work with anyone and was critical of everything.
But Councillor Kerr has carved out a reputation as a hard working local representative who is not shy of confrontation with officials and has been vocal on issues like housing, anti-social behaviour and homelessness.
