AFTER 47 years as a member of the Labour party, Stevenston councillor Jimmy Miller is set to run solo in May’s upcoming council elections.

He is out to prove doubters wrong after his departure left a bitter taste in his mouth.

The Herald reported previously how Cllr Miller was set to run as an independent, after he resigned from the Labour Party following what he branded an “unconstitutional” vote.

He has since added that: “I’d like the public to know the way I was treated.”

After his decision to resign, Cllr Miller claims he was told by the party leader that he would not be receiving a ‘good report’ if he followed through with his decision to run as an independent.

Further to this, he alleged that he was also told he would have “no chance” in the upcoming election.

He commented: “To turn round and say that to someone who’d been a member for 47 years and served for four years, nine months, a hard worker for the community, I think this was a terrible slight.”

READ MORE: Full candidate list revealed ahead of May's North Ayrshire Council election

Speaking after the vote last month a spokesperson for the Local Government Committee, who have run the Labour Party selection process throughout North Ayrshire, said: “Labour Party members in Saltcoats and Stevenston have selected, by some margin, Jim Montgomerie and John Sweeney as the best candidates to fight the ward for the Labour Party in May’s election.

“Jim and John are two of the hardest working councillors in North Ayrshire and we look forward to campaigning for their re-election in May.”

Cllr Miller will now compete against his two former colleagues, though says he has no ill-feeling towards either of them.

Speaking on his upcoming campaign, he added: “When I was elected in 2017 I was the first councillor to have been appointed in Scotland as an older people’s champion.

“Since then we now have 22 older people’s champions in Scotland.

“Hopefully before very long all 32 councils will have one, which will give a strong voice in the corridors of power to the 1.2 million pensioners in Scotland (with 40,000 in NA) and I would like to be re-elected to finish the job.

“I am someone who cares about his community, and will continue if re-elected fight for a fair deal for his ward, and give a strong voice to the older population of North Ayrshire.”