THE SNP in North Ayrshire have said that they are open to a coalition with Labour, following the vote that saw North Ayrshire Council hung.

Following yesterday's council elections in North Ayrshire SNP Group Leader Marie Burns said: "We’re pleased to get a strong showing for the SNP, with 11 of our candidates returned, and winning the popular vote. We’re disappointed for our colleagues who didn’t quite make it over the line, but our thanks go to the voters who continue to place their trust in us.

“We’ve been clear from the outset that there will be no coalition with the Tories and their hard-right policies. That view seems to be shared by the vast majority of voters in North Ayrshire.

"We’ll see over the coming days if there is a deal to be made that will take forward a positive programme for service delivery in North Ayrshire. Our door is open, and we are happy to speak to anyone who is ready to have a discussion on those terms. If our Labour colleagues feel the same way we are open to discussions.”