Edinburgh's City Council Deputy Stands Down

Forth News understands Edinburgh Council's deputy leader Steve Cardownie is to step down at a meeting tonight. At 5.30pm, in front of his SNP colleagues, the Deputy Leader's expected to resign.

He is leaving his post for personal reasons and to spend more time with his family. Mr Cardownie became a Labour councillor in 1988 before joining the SNP in 2005, after coming to the conclusion independence was in in fact Scotland's interests. He was the only SNP councillor at the local authority for two years and he's served in his current role since 2007. Who will replace him will now be the topic of conversation in the SNP camp as they look towards the General Elections in May.