Maggs is named as new leader of SNP

Mar 21 2008 By John Rowbotham

SOUTH Lanarkshire Council’s SNP Group have a new leader.

Experienced councillor Anne Maggs took over the reins after Archie Buchanan decided to step down from the position.

Hillhouse councillor Graeme Horne has become deputy leader, succeeding councillor Maggs in the post.

The changes were agreed on Friday at the SNP Group’s annual general meeting.

There had been speculation before the agm that Archie Buchanan, who had held the leadership for the last five years, might face a challenge.

Some members wanted to freshen up their attack on the Labour-Tory alliance running the council.

However, according to an SNP statement, councillor Buchanan “decided he wished to take a less demanding role on the council in order to pursue wider interests”.

That cleared the way for a straight fight for the leadership between councillor Maggs and Bothwell and Uddingston councillor Jim McGuigan.

Councillor Maggs won the vote by 15-7 with Councillor Horne taking the deputy leadership by 14 votes to eight, edging out Jim McGuigan in the process.

Councillor Maggs, a 62-year-old chiropodist, lives with her husband of 36 years, Martin, in East Kilbride.

The gran, who once lived in Stonehouse, has two daughters, 35-year-old Frances, a teacher, and Catherine-Ann, a Strathclyde University student who is training to be a pharmacist.

Councillor Maggs served on East Kilbride District Council and Strathclyde Region before joining the South Lanarkshire authority.

She is councillor for East Kilbride Central North and was deputy leader of the SNP group for five years.

She thanked councillor Buchanan for his work in gelling together the 24-member SNP group following the last election.

Councillor Maggs said she would bring experience to the role of leader, and aimed to give the group a higher profile.

She added: “I decided to stand because I was asked, and when Archie made clear he was not going to contest the leadership, I was asked by more people.”

She added: “The future promises to be both exciting and challenging. We have an SNP Government in place and it is now up to us in the SNP group to demonstrate to the people of South Lanarkshire our resolve; to be seen as the party that listens, and to offer support where it is required and strongly oppose policies and decisions we feel are not right.”

Councillor Horne (38) lives with his wife, Jane, and their children, aged 13 and 16, in Hamilton’s West Craigs.

An electronics engineer at Freescale (formerly Motorola) in East Kilbride, he was elected to the council five years ago on a ‘Save Earnock High’ ticket.

He joined the SNP and the council’s Nats Group in December, 2004.

Councillor Horne, who represents Hamilton West and Earnock, said: “I jumped at the chance of going for the deputy leadership once I was asked.

“I feel I have enough experience and I know I will get a lot of guidance from Anne.”

Council Leader Eddie McAvoy said Archie Buchanan was a “good leader and would be a hard act to follow”.

Tory Group spokesman Graham Simpson spoke of councillor Buchanan’s “calm and efficient leadership”.

“He has earned the right to take a back seat and will continue be an excellent local councillor in his ward,” he added.