FIRST MINISTER Nicola Sturgeon broke ranks with her party today to criticise an SNP council for cutting trade union facility time.

West Dunbartonshire council has announced it will cut the number of paid hours for union reps from the equivalent of 3.4 full-time employees to just two.

The decision has provoked a furious reaction from local trade unions, including Unite, the GMB, Unison and the Education Institute of Scotland.