Anas Sarwar taking claims of 'poisonous' atmosphere on Labour-run South Lanarkshire council 'very seriously'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Anas Sarwar has said claims of “secrecy, fear and intimidation” by a Labour colleague on South Lanarkshire Council are being taken “very seriously”.But the Scottish Labour leader also appeared to blame the SNP by claiming a “hard culture” existed in local authorities due to councils being in “survival mode”.Labour are working hard to win the Hamilton and Rutherglen West seat from the SNP in a looming Westminster by-election.But party sources fear tensions inside Labour’s South Lanarkshire Council group, which runs the administration, are harming the campaign.Council leader Joe Fagan is currently suspended after disclosing confidential information to the media.In a letter from Labour councillor Mathew Buchanan to Sarwar, leaked to the Record, he wrote: “I’m sure you are aware of various complaints of bullying and intimidation within the South Lanarkshire Labour group.“The inner circle around Joe Fagan instinctually close ranks at the first sign of anything that might rock the boat, and they can be vicious when they do so.

This was my first experience of being a Scottish Labour candidate last year.”He added: “If we are to recruit and retain the best activists and candidates, then we cannot bring them into a situation where our local government groups are ran by secrecy, fear and intimidation.

I nearly chucked it myself a couple of times.“There will be disagreements and clashes of personality in all walks of life, but what is happening in SLC is poisonous.

I don’t expect any action to be taken. I simply want it on record that there is a problem with Labour in South Lanarkshire.”At a Labour event in Glasgow, Sarwar said of the Buchanan comments:"I take all these issues very, very seriously.