Cammy Day has been cleared by police of any wrongdoing after a four-month investigation.

The former leader of Edinburgh City Council has denied he has “behaved in a way that’s inappropriate” as he claimed he has been the victim of an “an orchestrated political campaign”.

Cammy Day quit as leader of the council in December after allegations he had “bombarded” Ukrainian refugees with inappropriate messages.

Edinburgh City Council leader Cammy Day before boarding a test tram to Newhaven at Picardy Place on Tuesday. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Mr Day, who was immediately suspended by the Labour party when the allegations emerged, has now been told he will face no action following a four-month police investigation.

Police Scotland confirmed “no criminality has been established and no-one has been arrested”.

Mr Day, who hopes to re-join the Labour group at City Chambers, has spoken out after being cleared of any wrongdoing.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, the now-independent councillor has insisted his use of dating and hook-up apps has been weaponised by his opponents in the SNP, bitter at losing their grip on power at City Chambers.

Mr Day previously led the junior coalition partner at City Chambers with the SNP’s Adam Nols-McVey.

Once members of Edinburgh Council's ruling coalition, Labour's Cammy Day ousted the SNP's Adam McVey as leader after last year's election

But Mr Day has claimed that after the 2021 local elections, which saw Labour snatch power despite securing fewer councillors than the SNP, with the support of the Tories and Lib Dems, the SNP took it badly.

Mr Day said: “Things were leaked to the media, leaked to the Labour party and reported to the police all at the same time. So someone co-ordinated this, and I think it was an orchestrated political campaign against me.

“It was clearly politically motivated. The fact everything seems to be coming from one party tells me where it’s coming from.

“I was told by a chief executive of a charity in Edinburgh that since the day I was elected, they [the SNP] have been bitter about not being in leadership and have never gotten over it.

“I’m just pleased that police have said there’s nothing to see and I can get on with my job.”

Mr Day stressed there were “serious questions to be asked about the motivations behind an individual to bring me down”.

He said: “I think whoever is responsible for leaking information to the media that led to me having to resign as leader, with four months of extreme pressure on my friends, family and council officers, should reflect on that before deciding what their next moves are.

“If it’s someone already in politics, then they need to reflect on that.”

Mr Day has claimed the city council’s whistleblowing system, where anonymous complaints are reviewed by a cross-party panel, had been hijacked by his political opponents.

The former council leader has acknowledged his use of dating or hook-up apps, but has denied acting inappropriately.

He said: “Have I used apps for a gay man like me? Of course, yeah, I have no issues saying that.

“So does every other gay man in the City Chambers. That’s what people do these days. But that’s not illegal. Have I done anything offensive? Absolutely not.”

Mr Day added: “There have been attempts to unseat me and my colleagues by other parties over some time. They hadn’t worked. So certain people have looked for an alternative reason to oust me and they’ve succeeded by looking at things I do in my private life and using that as a tool.”

A Ukrainian refugee who claims they were approached by Mr Day online told the BBC in December they felt pressured to respond to the former council leader’s advances due to his influence and status.

The councillor admitted sending intimate pictures to others, something, according to multiple accounts posted online, he is said to have a reputation for. But Mr Day has denied ever acting inappropriately, targeting any particular group or “chasing any Ukrainians”.

He said: “I’ve chatted with gay men on an app. The content of that chat I don’t think is relevant. I’ve had a chat with another gay man, we’ve exchanged pictures together, we’ve had chats. We’ve maybe met and had a drink, or maybe not. That’s what people do.

“But I would go out of my way not to talk about my job. When I’m at work in the Chambers doing my business, I’m not online chatting to people.”

Simita Kumar, Edinburgh City Council’s SNP group leader, said Mr Day’s claims were a “gross distortion” of the complaints against him.

She said: “Let’s be clear - what councillor Day chooses to do in his personal life is his business. His sexuality is not and has never been the issue.

“What is at issue is the serious allegations that he used his position of public trust to target and intimidate vulnerable people.

“It is a desperate attempt to evade accountability to the very serious complaints that have been made about his behaviour. Day should feel ashamed for trying to spin this as a political conspiracy.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Following a report relating to inappropriate behaviour, extensive inquiries have been carried out, no criminality has been established and no-one has been arrested.

“Time is no barrier to our inquiries and any further information received will be assessed.

“I would urge anyone who wishes to report a crime, regardless of when it happened, to contact us so we can conduct a thorough and professional investigation.”

Ousted Edinburgh Council leader Cammy Day claims he has been victim of 'orchestrated political campaign'

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