Andy Doig, pictured top right, says John Hood, top left, should resign from his position as vice convener of the Renfrewshire Council’s Economy and Jobs Board.

The SNP-man’s claim came after the Labour councillor refused to back Doig’s move to have a new jobs project rolled out in Johnstone and Renfrew.

Cllr Doig also hit out at the leader of Renfrewshire Council, Mark Macmillan, saying he had to apologise.

The drama unfolded this week after Doig, who represents Johnstone, Kilbarchan and Lochwinnoch, sought to have a scheme which is being piloted in Paisley rolled out in the rest of Renfrewshire if it proved successful.

He said: “The idea of an Incubator Shop is a key, modern way to create sustainable new local businesses and it has been proven to work in Glasgow.

“In September last year the Economy and Jobs Board, on which I am the SNP spokesperson, all agreed to pilot the Incubator in Paisley first.

“At that board I moved an amendment, supported by my leader, Cllr Brian Lawson, that it should through time be rolled out to Johnstone and Renfrew.

“Johnstone Labour councillors, like Iain McMillan and John Hood, voted this down.

“This week at the full council meeting Item 10 was about progressing this idea as a shop has been identified and approved, so I asked a for a cast iron guarantee that Johnstone and Renfrew would get the scheme eventually.

“The council leader replied that “It is open to anybody”, apparently oblivious, although he is on the Economy and Jobs Board and should know, that the Incubator Scheme is 100% Council controlled and not a private concept open to tender.

“Earlier in the meeting the depute leader of the council spoke about Labour’s commitment to jobs.

“These are hollow words in the light of their refusal to roll out a new key jobs supporting idea to my Johnstone town centre constituents.

“Frankly, the Council Leader should apologise to the people of Johnstone for his arrogance, and Councillor John Hood should resign”.

“My demand was not unreasonable, not in September 2013, and not today, and will strike many council tax payers as simple common sense.

“Why are they snubbing Johnstone in this way?

“Following on the back of the total failure of Johnstone Labour’s ‘Feeble Five’ to get any kind of new big capital project for Johnstone as part of the recent City Deal Project I am not only sad but angry at the Paisley Labour Mafia and their Johnstone allies.” Councillor Hood, who represents Johnstone Elderslie and Howwood, hit back at Doig’s claims and shifted the focus of the debate towards funding Renfrewshire Council receives from the Scottish Government.

He said: “It is Councillor Doig who needs to consider his position.

“Rather than being an apologist for his SNP masters at Holyrood he should stand up for the area he represents and for residents of Renfrewshire who are being short-changed each and every year by the SNP Government.

“This year alone this amounts to £18million. Despite this the Labour Council has supported 500 businesses and supported 4,300 unemployed people towards and into jobs.

“The business incubator in Paisley will support business start-ups from across Renfrewshire. This has been explained to Cllr Doig in words of one syllable.

“His failure to grasp this basic concept calls his competency into question and means it is he who should consider his position - as he certainly can’t consider the facts.

“I and my Labour colleagues can offer Councillor Doig a cast iron guarantee that we will stand up for families in Johnstone and across Renfrewshire who are suffering because of the SNP cuts.”