General
By G.A.Ponsonby
The row over alleged intimidation and bullying of a female councillor by a member of Glasgow Council’s ruling Labour group has escalated today with the news that the chief suspect in the scandal was previously investigated by police over claims of sexual harassment.
Newsnet Scotland can reveal that Labour councillor Gilbert Davidson, who is at the centre of allegations that he threatened the apprenticeship of a former colleagues disabled son in order to get her to back his party in a crucial vote, was arrested in 2010 on charges of sexual harassment.
As reported by Newsnet Scotland at the time, Davidson faced claims that he sent lewd and offensive phone calls and text messages to former Lord Provost Liz Cameron and asked her to share a room with him. The calls were reported to have taken place during a by-election in Drumchapel.
Mr Davidson was charged after Ms Cameron made a formal complaint to Strathclyde police, Davidson was suspended by the Glasgow Labour group but re-instated after the charges were later dropped.
At the time Davidson was already under investigation after being accused of groping another female councillor Ruth Black.
The latest row to hit the scandal ridden local authority has led to calls from opposition parties for a full investigation into allegations of bullying and intimidation within the Glasgow Labour group.
SNP MSP James Dornan, who is also a councillor, has called on Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont to condemn the intimidation of Ms Millar.
Yesterday one of Mr Davidson’s own colleagues admitted that there is a need to find out what happened regarding the claims made by Ms Millar, who said her son’s apprenticeship was used in a bid to persuade her to back the Labour party in a crucial budget vote.
Glasgow Labour councillor Stephen Curran is the chair of City Building, the firm that employs Ms Millar’s son Stephen, Mr Davidson is also a board member.
Mr Curran was responding to angry online reaction after Ms Millar was shown breaking down on TV. Tweeting he said there was a “need to find out what actually happened”.
Speculation had been growing over the identity of the Labour councillor after a TV interview showed a distressed Ms Millar breaking down when describing how she was approached by someone from the Glasgow Labour group who reminded her that he sat on the board of the firm that employed her disabled son.
Speaking to STV news, Ms Millar claimed she was asked to vote for the Labour group “one more time” and claimed she was put under intense pressure to support her former party.
“A colleague spoke to me and said he sat on the board of City Building and asked if my son had an apprenticeship there.
“I asked him if he was threatening my son’s apprenticeship. He can have all the goes at me that he likes but don’t bring my son into it.”
If it is confirmed that Gilbert Davidson is indeed the person who brought up Ms Millar’s disabled son’s employment and reminded her that he [Davidson] sat on the board then pressure will mount on beleaguered group leader Gordon Matheson to take action.
Mr Matheson has resisted calls for him to step down after several high profile resignations from the party. Six Labour councillors left amid accusations that London were dictating local candidate selections. The resignations have left the Labour group with a majority of just one.
The local authority has been plagued by allegations of drug use, nepotism and corruption stretching back to the days of disgraced former leader Stephen Purcell with well paid positions on council controlled firms going to people with connections to Labour.
Public cash is also reported to have found its way into the coffers of the Labour party and high profile donors of the party have benefitted from lucrative council contracts.
Strathclyde Police are currently investigating claims that land was sold by the council at a price lower than the official valuation and that opposition groups who questioned the deal were given false information in response.
I think this is disgraceful and there should be an investigation about threats against the lady councillor and her son.
As a mother, Lamont, should be on the case! However i doubt it.
Hi bob, have you seen the Saturday Times today with the lead story that Michael Moore is offering us more Tax raising powers only if we say no in the referendum, the way in which i take this is nothing more than blackmail, Westminster is really getting down to dirty and desperate measures now
So it appears Gilbert Davidson has form with threatening women? This must be investigated, independently and free from the grubby clutches of Glasgow Labour council and their kangaroo court of an internal inquiry.
Get this right EBC at Pathetic Quay regional office, no matter how much you pray and play foul on trying your distorting Scotland routine, this isn’t going away. The voters will be reminded all the way up to the council elections in may of this. Still waiting to hear anything from Lamont. How rude not to reply to her emails!
Thought she was given control of all of the labour party in Scotland Could this be untrue?
Quoting mato21:Thought she was given control of all of the labour party in Scotland Could this be untrue?
You bet your sweet, “Bippy”, it could be true, (“Bet your sweet Bippy”, quote from the Rowan & Martin Laugh in Show). God I feel old!!!
Quoting mato21:Thought she was given control of all of the labour party in Scotland Could this be untrue?
You bet your sweet, “Bippy”, it could be true, (“Bet your sweet Bippy”, quote from the Rowan & Martin Laugh in Show). God I feel old!!!
Also, anyone else know about this £500,000 in Labours budget for ‘colour coordinated seating’ for the council chamber?
Her son is disabled Mark… there are many schemes for disabled people to gain employment within Glasgow City Council. The sad truth is that disabled people still require positive discrimination measures to get into the workplace.
Yes, Ms Millar may have heard about the opportunity through the Councils own internal vacancy advertising (this is done in all organisations to provide existing staff carreer progression opportunities), but you go too far Mark to make a baseless insinuation in suggesting that preferential treatment has been given to her son.
I think you should retract your statement.
Oh how indeed the chickens are coming home to roost.
Now if the media were at all serving the interests of the Scottish public – this would indeed be the end of the labour junket at city hall. Me wonders how much of this will see the light of day and how much will be reported. Think of the faux indignation when Alex Salmond spoke out about the BBC. This my friends is a real scandal. Will it get as much air?
Keef 2012-02-11 12:11
Oh how indeed the chickens are coming home to roost.
Now if the media were at all serving the interests of the Scottish public – this would indeed be the end of the labour junket at city hall. Me wonders how much of this will see the light of day and how much will be reported. Think of the faux indignation when Alex Salmond spoke out about the BBC. This my friends is a real scandal. Will it get as much air?
What brave men they have in the labour party. Bullying and sexually harrassing women and thinking a child asked to be raped. Words fail me. I’m thinking an uninhabited island somewhere in the north Atlantic where they could only do these things to each other. Now there’s a picture I cant get out my head!
Perhaps it is time that the Police got involved.
“Glasgow Labour councillor Stephen Curran is the chair of City Building”
Is this person related to Margaret Curran by any chance? Does anyone know?
They could hand over powers today if they really wanted to.
Maybe O/T Just wondering about this lack of BBC coverage when it suits them and thinking…’Is it not time for a wee note to STV to commend them for covering these items that give the BBC real problems?’ Am also of the thought that notes to their sponsors bringing to their attention that we do appreciate them funding a ‘fair’ or ‘fairer’ newscast. The funny (peculiar) thing is that I cannot understand John Mackay’s aggressive attitude when interviewing on the 10.30 show… which I’ve taken to instead of the crap on Newsnight!!
If I hadn’t seen it on STV I would have been totally unaware of the Glasgow Council activities of the day.
Scottish Secretary Michael Moore has reportedly offered Scots more powers if they vote “No”.
William 111 has reportedly offered Scots gold if they vote “Yes”
Sean Clerkin…. wasn’t he the guy who Ian Gray ran away from into the sandwich place last year ?
heraldscotland.com/…/…
Aye Cllr Curran – working hard for Glasgow:
thesun.co.uk/…/…
I presume that you don’t understand copyright law?
We aren’t free to post anything we like on here. A link can be provided to copyright material, but the actual material can’t be quoted in full.
Copyright owners could take action to bring down any site that breaches their copyright. Most sites aren’t worth bothering with. NNS has grown to the point where it might well be.