RUNNING seamlessly into the political crucible that is Glasgow and separated from its often turbulent northern namesake by the M74, South Lanarkshire has epitomised council stability for much of its 21 years.
Even now next Thursday's election is at best lowkey.
But to quote one prominent source, "things have become slightly surreal" in the background.
Under the stewardship of the veteran Labour figure Eddie McAvoy, this large and diverse authority has rarely found itself the focus of negative national attention, a source of huge irritation to those at the helm elsewhere.
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But Mr McAvoy has had it good. He has not faced the internal shoves for regime change which has toppled several peers, smaller political groups have cooperated when needed and the main SNP opposition have, in the main, been dire.
Whatever the complexion of next Friday’s result there is, however, an expectation of looming political fragility. On top of the uncertainty over a change of administration, intra-party divisions are rife.
Mr McAvoy, along with the leaders of the other main groupings, is bowing out of politics. A seamless coronation of a successor is not anticipated. Powerplays involving current and former local parliamentarians are already underway. In this part of Lanarkshire it is not only SNP HQ concerned over rancour and competencein its local groupings.
The SNP is expected to become the biggest party. Informed sources reckon 30 in a 64-member authority, give or take three or so either way.
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The new town of East Kilbride, like its counterpart Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire, has become solidly SNP in recent years It has the momentum
What is uncertain is if it can secure an outright majority. And if they did who would lead? Factionalism, it seems, is not restricted to those seeking to replace Mr McAvoy.
But the likely big story on the day is the Conservatives. With just three at councillors during the last term (down from eight between 2007 and 2012), the expectation is they can more than treble that. South Lanarkshire has affluence in places like Bothwell and Thortonhall and real Unionist strongholds like Larkhall, where the Tories expect a new presence.
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But is further south, in the market towns of Clydesdale,that the Tories can make real inroads.
“You could see them returning four, five or six down there”, one source said. “There’s some chat about them replacing Labour as the main opposition.
“I just can’t see that but 10 and an anti-SNP coalition is not unrealistic.”
Aside from the national picture, little leaps out as a South Lanarkshire battle winner. Education features, as it does most places, with Labour pointing to its fresh schools estate while the SNP seeks capital from arguments over PFI.
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