TWO SNP councillors in Glasgow quit the party yesterday, with one accusing the leadership of acting like a “dictatorship”. 

Elspeth Kerr, who represents Drumchapel and Anniesland in the city, announced her resignation last night on Twitter, saying she could not "stand by a party that allows bullying and corruption of this nature".

Councillor Michael Cullen has also left the party. It's understood he stood down after the leadership became aware he was facing potential criminal charges. It's also understood that he denies the charges.

A spokesperson for the group claimed the two resignations were linked. They also said Kerr had never complained about bullying before. 

In her Twitter thread, Kerr claimed that she is "not bullied easily", however she wrote that council leader Susan Aitken "has tried at every opportunity".

She wrote: "It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce that I have resigned from the SNP! I have been a member for 30 years. Glasgow City Council ran by Susan Aitken is nothing but a Dictatorship! I cannot stand by a party that allows bullying and corruption of this nature.

"Glasgow SNP group has many strong woman but there is a line between being strong and bullying. Being a strong woman myself I am not bullied easily but Susan has tried at every opportunity.

"Every time I tried to express my opinion I was silenced, I feel that my community was silenced with me. I became a Councillor to be a voice for my already silenced community not to be silenced more.

"Under previous administrations my community' s needs went unmet and unheard. I hoped as part of the Glasgow SNP group I would be able to change that. Our [administration] was meant to be open and transparent but this is the furthest away from that possible.

"I firmly believe in Independence for Scotland! The SNP has been taken over by middle class career politicians who have their own agenda and interest at heart.

"People leaving the Labour party said that they felt they were not leaving their party but that their party had left them and that is how I feel about the SNP In Glasgow."

The Drumchapel and Anniesland representative said that although she will hand in her resignation to the SNP, she will "continue to work hard for the people of Ward 14".

An SNP group spokesperson said: "At a meeting with the SNP Whip on Thursday, Cllr Michael Cullen confirmed that he is currently facing potential legal action and would step aside from the SNP in the meantime, in line with party protocol.

"Cllr Kerr objected to this course of action and indicated that she would leave the SNP as a result. While we are disappointed by that decision, we would clarify that Cllr Kerr has at no stage made any allegations of bullying within the SNP group.”

Cllrs Kerr and Cullen have both been approached for comment.