Stevenston councillor Jimmy Miller is set to run as an independent in the upcoming elections after he resigned from the Labour party, after 47 years with them, following what he called an “unconstitutional” vote.

The vote in question followed the Boundary Commission review, which saw Saltcoats and Stevenston wards merged, creating one ward.

In the process, Labour would have to lose one of their three councillors across the two areas.

It was taken to a vote, which was carried out online, as all Scottish Labour selections since the pandemic have.

But Cllr Miller was not impressed with how this ostracised voters who wouldn’t have access to either a computer or email address.

He said: “Obviously, through the years, I’ve had disagreements with them, but nothing as serious as this.

“There are people who have been members a long time, they pay their money, and they’re entitled to a vote, whatever form it takes.”

This included his wife, who could not vote as they share the same email address.

Cllr Miller received the lowest amount of votes, however he said this was not his issue.

He continued: “Some people might think this is because I lost the election, it’s got nothing to do with that.

“I registered over the last year that I wasn’t happy with how this was going to happen.”

A spokesperson for the Local Government Committee, who have run the Scottish 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 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.”

Despite his resignation, Cllr Miller says he still intends to run in the upcoming elections - as an independent. He became the first ‘older people’s champion’ of any council area in Scotland.

He said:“I feel I have managed to get the older peoples voice stronger out there and I still feel I have quite a lot to offer the local populous, not just older people.”