ONE Scottish Labour’s longest serving councillors has quit the party claiming it is now in a “desperate situation”.

Jim Brooks, a councillor since 1974, resigned alongside colleague John Higgins, reducing Labour to a minority administration in its former heartland of North Lanarkshire.

In scathing letters to Labour’s Scottish General Secretary Brian Roy, both councillors, who were deselected in October, complained they were victims of “bias and ill-will”.

READ MORE: South Lanarkshire councillor facing trial has suspension lifted by Scottish Labour

They said they were the subject of “deliberately erroneous and malicious” internal party reports which influenced their deselection and killed their chances of standing for re-election next May.

Cllrs Brooks and Higgins also accused Mr Roy of giving them an “appalling” lack of support, while failing to take action against other Labour councillors on the authority

Writing in identical terms, they said: “To be disregarded by yourself and the Scottish Labour Party in this manner speaks volumes about the desperate situation the SLP finds itself in.

“As well as letting me down, Brian, you have let yourself down badly in how you have dealt - or not dealt - with this matter.”

The two men, who both represent Coatbridge South, were among eight Labour councillors de-selected in a clear-out which has coincided with the arrival of new leader Jim Logue.

Cllr Brooks said at the time the “grubby hands” of Mr Logue had been “all over the decision”.

Also given the chop were Cumbernauld’s Bob Chadha, Wishaw’s Frank McKay, Peter Sullivan of Airdrie and John McLaren of Strathkelvin.

Former Labour leader Jim McCabe and his whip Tommy Curley are also standing down.

Labour now have 32 seats on the 70-member council, the SNP 22 and Independents 16.

Cllr Brooks, a former leader of Monklands Council when it was caught up in a scandal over alleged sectarianism, has been a kingpin of Labour politics in Lanarkshire for decades.

Nine Labour councillors have now resigned from the party in recent months, putting the SNP in a position to take control of North Lanarkshire in an alliance with Independent members.

However SNP opposition leader David Stocks last month passed up the chance to run the council, saying he did not want to work with former Labour rebels and “malcontents”.

An SNP spokeswoman said: “The people of North Lanarkshire deserve better than a Labour administration in bitter disarray. The SNP will be taking a positive message to voters in May.”

READ MORE: South Lanarkshire councillor facing trial has suspension lifted by Scottish Labour

Asked about the criticisms, a Labour spokesman said: "Next May Labour will put forward the strongest possible group of candidates who will stand up for their local communities including Monklands against cuts from the SNP government in Edinburgh.

“Despite millions being cut from local services, North Lanarkshire Labour are ambitious for the future of our community with a plan to build 1,800 homes over the next ten years."