GLASGOW Labour will vote in a leadership ballot today to elect the head of the council group in the city.
Current chief Malcolm Cunning faced a challenge in the days following the local elections earlier this month from returning councillor George Redmond.
It comes after the group came second in the poll, improving its standing in the once-Labour stronghold city by five seats.
Redmond launched a challenge against Cunning on May 13, who is not expected to see out the full term as leader of the group.
He served as a councillor for 18 years before stepping down in 2017.
A businessman and landlord, he is seen as close to the “old guard” in the local party as an ally of former council leader Frank McAveety.
He also served as the chairman of the city’s cultural body Glasgow Life and SPT, alongside roles being the convenor of the council’s property and planning committees. Redmond was also twice the local authority’s head of development and regeneration.
He is currently also the head of the BCD Credit Union in Glasgow.
Redmond announced his bid in an interview with the Daily Record telling the paper: “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 added: “I’ve got widespread experience in the portfolios I have held. I had the economic brief, the Glasgow Life brief and I was the co-author of the Glasgow health strategy. I have also run a successful financial organisation.”
