The Labour leader of Glasgow City Council says he has a "spring in his step" after the administration was rocked by defections and resignations.

Gordon Matheson's retort came as Labour was within two votes of losing the city budget on Thursday, during a tense afternoon which saw the vote hang on a knife edge.

Negotiations took place among councillors during an adjournment amid accusations of strong arm tactics and bullying behaviour made against members of the Labour group.

Afterwards SNP councillor and MSP James Dornan was quick to slam Matheson’s leadership and called for him to resign.

Councillor Matheson said: “I am absolutely thrilled with the result. The whole Labour group is buoyed by what was quite a dramatic debate.

“There is nobody who wouldn't think that this is significant for Glasgow Labour.

“At the last minute there was a shoddy little deal done between the SNP and the Tories and the rest of the opposition which we shot holes through.

"We have the record, we have the passion and the team to take Glasgow forward. I love Glasgow. We have a spring in our step as we go into the elections in May."

Although all opposition parties united with four Labour defectors and two suspended party members in a combined budget amendment, the Labour budget passed by just two votes, at 40 to 38.

Pressure mounted on Mr Matheson as resignations began at the weekend, with Baillieson councillor Andy Muir announcing he intended to resign this week, citing problems with "control freakery" and "growing difference" which emerged between him and his Labour colleagues.

He said: “I find the control freakery and the bullying culture that now exists in Labour unacceptable so I must remain true to my principals and resign from the Labour Party, as it not longer reflects the party I joined and have worked hard to represent.

“It makes it more difficult for Labour to hold and retain a position of administration in Glasgow with so many respected Councillors being dumped by the party and not receiving any support from the hierarchy.”

Muir was later joined by councillors Tommy Morrison, Stephen Dornan, Ruth Black and Southside Central candidate Anne Marie Millar, who slammed Labour’s "inner circle" when she resigned on Wednesday night.

On Friday it emerged that four of the five councillors had been sent a letter that morning confirming their suspension from the Labour party.

It also emerged that Ruth Black was not a member of the Labour party as her membership lapsed in November.

After the meeting Councillor Millar alleged she experienced bullying behaviour and that a colleague threatened her son's apprenticeship if she did not vote with the Labour Party.

Speaking to STV News, she said: "A colleague spoke to me and said he sat on the board of City Building and asked if my son had an apprenticeship there.

"I asked him if he was threatening my son's apprenticeship. He can have all the goes at me that he likes but don't bring my son into it."

The Labour Party had started the day sure of 44 votes, however three councillors later resigned.

Labour rebel organiser Tommy Morrison had originally anticipated that another three Labour councillors would side with the opposition and said that the loss was a "blow".

SNP MSP and Councillor James Dornan said: “Glaswegians deserve better than leader who has lost the confidence of the entire City Chambers, including his own group. For the good of the city, Gordon Matheson should resign now.”

In the end, Labour had to rely on the votes of Lord Provost Bob Winter, and independent Colin Deans to ensure their budget passed.

The SNP brought in Councillor Dave Ritchie, who has been absent due to ill health, and the Labour Party brought in Councillor Pat Chalmers during an hour long recess, in order to bolster their votes.

Previously suspended Labour councillors Willie O'Rourke and Ruth Black both sided with the opposition.

Speaking about the deselected labour members Gordon Matheson said: "We have gone through a process and we had to get our numbers down to 45. When we are choosing the best some people aren't successful. But a councillor is not a job for life."