Glasgow council Labour group leader ousted by rival after swift battle

THE leader of the Labour group in Scotland’s largest local authority was yesterday deposed by a rival after the party failed to retake the council from the SNP at the elections earlier this month.

Newly re-elected to Glasgow City Council, George Redmond beat Malcolm Cunning by 24 votes to 11 with Soryia Siddique defeating Mr Cunning’s number two, Eva Murray, to become deputy Labour group leader.

Labour gained five seats in Glasgow on May 5 – securing 36 councillors to the SNP’S 37 – but the result was not enough to avert a leadership contest.

Mr Cunning’s preference had been to hold on to the post for a few years before handing over to a so-called next-generation leader.

But Mr Redmond, elected again after a five-year break from the city chambers, challenged Mr Cunning for the top job.

After a short but intense battle, Mr Redmond pipped the sitting group leader after securing support from across the councillor group.

Mr Cunning said after the ballot: “I’m obviously disappointed at the result, but that’s democracy and that’s a decision for the Labour group and what they see the next few years being.

“I don’t think it was the best time to hold a leadership election but a challenge was made and a challenge can be made at any stage in an [annual general meeting] and there is always an AGM immediately following an election.”

Mr Redmond, a close ally of fellow Labour councillor Frank Mcaveety, was approached for comment by The Herald.

Last week he told reporters his first priority would be calling a summit of business leaders.

“Glasgow is not in a good place. People want the city cleaned up. One of the first things I would do is call a meeting of the business community about the city centre.

“The state of the city centre is heartbreaking. Big stores have pulled out. We can’t pretend it is not happening,” he said.

Meanwhile, talks between the SNP and the Scottish Greens about the possibility of jointly running the administration in Glasgow are continuing.

Last week SNP councillor

Ricky Bell told The Herald the two parties would discuss the prospect of a formal coalition, a Holyrood style co-operation agreement or a confidence and supply deal, where the Greens would support the SNP on key votes such as the budget and no-confidence motions.

Any formal deal would have to be approved by Scottish Greens’ members nationally.

They backed the Bute House agreement the party made with the SNP which saw co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater become junior ministers in Nicola Sturgeon’s government.

It stopped short of a formal coalition as it allowed the parties to agree to disagree in some policy areas.