Frontrunner to become new Edinburgh council leader revealed after Cammy Day resignation

Jane Meagher is the new leader of the Labour group on Edinburgh City Council and is now expected to become council leader

Councillor Jane Meagher is expected to become Edinburgh’s new council leader later this week after winning the backing of Labour members.

The Portobello/Craigmillar councillor won the Labour group’s leadership contest on Monday by seven votes to three, and will now be put forward as the party’s nominee for council leader.

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Councillor Jane Meagher.Councillor Jane Meagher.
Councillor Jane Meagher.

Mr Day was suspended by Scottish Labour once the allegations were made public, and was forced to resign after other councillors called for a vote on his future.

A police investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour is now underway. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he was unable to rule out receiving previous alleged behaviour complaints against him.

Cllr Meagher, who is the council’s housing convener, won the vote against Cllr Katrina Faccenda to become the Edinburgh group leader.

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She said: “It is an honour to be elected by my colleagues to serve as leader of the Labour group on Edinburgh City Council. I am proud of the work that we have done in the city to deliver for residents, workers and businesses.”

Cllr Meagher added: “Scotland’s capital deserves the best possible representation and that is what I am committed to delivering as leader of the Edinburgh Labour group.”

The council will elect a new leader at the meeting of the full council on Thursday, with Cllr Meagher expected to win given the political make-up of the local authority.

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Cllr Meagher was on a family holiday to Tanzania during the vote for the Labour leadership, and will be attending the vote on Thursday virtually.

She was first elected as a councillor in May 2022, and was immediately given the position of housing convener with a salary of £36,699.

If she succeeds in becoming council leader, she will receive a salary of over £58,000.

Cllr Meagher is a retired community worker with experience of working in the council leader’s office, and has lived in Portobello since 1986.

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