Steven Purcell, the man who unexpectedly resigned as leader of Glasgow City Council blaming stress, has a new job. He looks thrilled to bits.
He is to work for the Stewart and McKenna Foundation, an organisation which co-ordinates a large number of charitable causes both in Scotland and abroad. Allan Stewart and Stephen McKenna are property developers, (the Stewart and McKenna Group based in Cambuslang, Glasgow), who set up the Foundation in 2007.
Mr McKenna and Mr Stewart said they hoped to give Mr Purcell a second chance after reading he wanted to become involved in charity work.
We're not risking the foundation by taking him on - we put 90 per cent of the money into it ourselves and we're not stupid. Steven's made a mistake and he understands that.
"I think it's fantastic that he will be working with us. He's said he wanted to work on Scottish projects.
"It will be great for our foundation, for Steven, and for Scotland."
"I think it's fantastic that he will be working with us. He's said he wanted to work on Scottish projects.
"It will be great for our foundation, for Steven, and for Scotland."
Aye well, it'll certainly be good for Steven.
Update: Dubbieside has provided a link to the Sunday Herald website which digs a little deeper. Today's Sunday Herald wasn't online when I wrote the post.
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17 comments:
hmm...former council leader goes to work for a property developer...what a stench. It's more difficult to subvert the planning process than people think, so wrongdoing is unlikely, but this is plain wrong in terms of perception alone. Should be a 2 year moratorium or a vetting protocol for such appointments, as for Westminster ex ministers.
Something stinks....
Subrosa
As always with Labour there may be more to this story.
Sunday Herald article here.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/businessmen-linked-to-purcell-at-centre-of-labour-donations-row-1.1039114
Charity, the fig leaf for corrupt politicians?
Jess you'll see Dubbie has an interesting link. You too Rab.
Many thanks Dubbie. The Herald wasn't online when I wrote the post and I haven't had a chance yet to read it. I'll put your link on as an update.
Very apt OR, very apt.
From the Dubbieside link:
However the Sunday Herald can reveal that after the council backed the deal a Stewart & McKenna company gave £5000 to the Labour party. Stewart also donated £4100 to his local Labour branch in East Kilbride. According to the Electoral Commission, the pair made no donations before the land sale.
And if you check the Electoral Commission register of donations they made no donations after these two either. (Choose "Labour" in the top drop down list and enter, "Stewart", into the, "Donor name/name of body", field.) Despite being previous donors the General Election must have passed them by.
Stephen McKenna told the Sunday Herald Purcell would not be paid for his work for the pair’s charity...
So, since he's not getting paid and he's not getting any councillor monies since he's resigned what's he living on? If this job is full time and he's not available for work should he be getting a Job Seeker's allowance?
Councillors, ex-councillors, land developers, charities and gangsters. It's all a big ring-a-ring-a-roses in West Central Scotland Labour isn't it?
Gosh he looks very repentant doesn't he.
Thanks for keeping us up to date.
- aangirfan
Doug, you'll be impressed, I'm learning from you because I did check the EC to see if they'd donated since (once I read the Herald article).
That did cross my mind about the non-pay, I should have put that in the update. Thanks for pointing it out.
As you know I do try to be non-partisan when writing such posts but I thought the address of Stewart & McKenna would be a good clue. ;)
He's laughing anyway Sandy. It can't be all the way to the bank if he's not being paid can it.
A pleasure as always Aangirfan. Now - get back to your holiday. ;)
OR took the words from my mouth. What is it with politicians who think they can go off and do charity work and their sins will be forgiven? Many years ago John Profumo went down this route *but* he did it quietly away from public view. Now we have the likes of Blair and no-one knows what shame is.
Very true GV and yet it seems that Stevie boy isn't going to earn a penny from his charitable job. Another con in the making with his expenses going to £50,000 + a year I expect.
Ah, well. How did we become so cynical, SR?
GV, we both know we could be here for a day writing the reasons.
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