Anger at report on 'clan day' cash chaos

A REPORT into Edinburgh City Council's handling of Scotland's largest ever clan gathering has been dismissed as a "whitewash" after two key officials at the local authority failed to give evidence.

Neither former chief executive Tom Aitchison nor the former director of services Jim Inch, both of whom were closely involved in talks about the failed event but who have since retired, contributed to the inquiry.

Businesses still owed money after the company behind the Gathering went into liquidation said the failure to speak to the two officials showed "a complete lack of respect" for the creditors.

The report, by auditors Deloitte, cleared Edinburgh City Council leaders of lying to parliament over the fiasco.

But it found that council leader Jenny Dawe did not know that First Minister Alex Salmond had spoken to her deputy Steve Cardownie about the Gathering's parlous financial position for several days.