Race to be Glasgow Labour’s new boss

THE new leader of Glasgow Labour will be announced today after a last-minute twist.

Councillor Martin Mcelroy had been seen as a shoo-in for the position when Frank Mcaveety recently announced he was stepping down after five years in the post.

In what was seen as an endorsement of 32-yearold Cllr Mcelroy, Mr Mcaveety, a former MSP and council leader, said it was time for “a new generation of Labour leadership” to take over.

However City Chambers veteran Malcolm Cunning entered the race at the eleventh hour at last Wednesday’s AGM.

An old hand, he is unlikely to have done so without carefully calculating his support.

Cllr Cunning, who represents the Linn ward, is understood to be backed by most of the female councillors on the 30-strong Labour group, including Eva Murray, who became deputy group leader unopposed at the AGM.

Mr Cunning, 63, who was elected in 2003, has said he will stand at the next council election in 2022, but not serve a full term, clearing the way for Ms Murray to move up.

Cllr Mcelroy, who represents the Springburn/robroyston ward, has been at the chambers since 2012.

He has been selected as the Labour candidate for the Snp-held Provan seat at next year’s Holyrood election, but is expected to stand down if named as group leader today.

A source close to Cllr Mcelroy predicted the race would be “tight” but he should win by around 17 votes to 13.

However a friend of Mr Cunning said he too was “confident” of victory.

Although the online vote closed on Friday, party protocol means the result is not until today.

Labour lost its 40-year grip on Glasgow City Council in 2017, and the City Chambers is now run by an SNP minority administration under leader Susan Aitken.