A COUNCIL of co-operation with the SNP working in partnership with Labour for the benefit of Inverclyde is 'not off the table' in the wake of another knife-edge local government election.

Nationalist group leader Elizabeth Robertson held out an apparent olive branch to Labour counterpart Stephen McCabe as yesterday's results confirmed a near 50-50 split between the two major parties in the Municipal Buildings.

Councillor Robertson declared that the local authority would be 'shamed' if there was any block to doing what is right for the people of the district.

But Councillor McCabe — with Labour having a narrow 9-8 advantage over the SNP — says his party has a mandate to try to form an administration as a hectic round of horse trading with smaller political groupings looms.

He told the Telegraph: "Our position nationally is not to enter into coalitions and we have to respect that.

"We are the largest party and we will seek to form a minority administration."

However, Councillor Robertson sees the position differently as Inverclyde looks to emerge stronger from the Covid pandemic and the current cost of living crisis that is hitting families hard.

She said: "A coalition with Labour is not off the table from our perspective.

"I think it would be quite tricky for us to be in partnership with the Conservatives [who have two councillors] as there is a gulf between the politics of our two parties.

"But what I will say is that 22 people sit on the council and it's important that those 22 people are as collegiate as they can be."

Councillor Robertson added: "It's important that Inverclyde does not get hindered by blockage.

"If we block each other from doing things that are right for Inverclyde, then shame on us."

Councillor McCabe — whilst ruling out any coalition deals — said: "Everything is to play for and there will be discussions in the coming days.

"But our objective is to have a Labour-led administration."

Asked whether her party had got it wrong in fielding 12 candidates in a bid to win an overall majority, Councillor Robertson said: "We put forward 12, we always said we were being ambitious.

"We wanted to put forward an ambitious team that was able to take an overall majority in Inverclyde Council.

"We knew full well the electoral system doesn't make that easy, but the message we wanted to send out to the people of Inverclyde was that we were in this to win an overall majority.

"I work with people, I always have and I always will.

"That won't stop.

"There are discussions to be had, but a council of collaboration and five years of genuine progress for Inverclyde is what I'm looking for now."

Councillor McCabe hailed Labour's result in having all nine of its candidates elected as 'fantastic'.

He added: "We got criticised for not putting up enough candidates for an overall majority but that would be an impossible task [under the single transferable voting system].

"But we put up nine candidates and we got all nine elected — a 100 per cent return and I'm delighted by that.

"We will meet on Monday night to discuss the group leadership and I haven't ruled myself out of that."

In a light-hearted moment following the declaration for Inverclyde North, re-elected Conservative councillor Graeme Brooks joked in apparent reference to the bike route through Greenock.

In his acceptance speech Councillor Brooks said: "For those who cycled here today, I wish you all a safe journey home, and for those who came by car I apologise for any delays."

The SNP's Councillor Robertson spoke of her sadness at losing Jim MacLeod in Inverclyde East Central but said she was pleased with her party's return.

She said: "We fielded 12 candidates and we wanted 12 seats, we've got colleagues who we are so sorry are not going to be joining us.

"We've gone from five to eight, that's not a bad thing from our perspective."

Councillor Robertson added: "I'll be proposing myself as group leader.

"If any of my team want to stand against me then that's their right to do so.

"I'm hoping that they'll be ok with me continuing to be their group leader.

"I think that I've led the group well in the last two years.

"The next steps we have will be based on the will of the group of eight."

Elsewhere in the council, there are three three independent councillors, Lynne Quinn (Inverclyde West), Tommy McVey (Inverclyde South) and Drew McKenzie (Inverclyde East Central).

There are once again two Conservatives, with Graeme Brooks (Inverclyde North) and David Wilson (Inverclyde East) both re-elected.