Edinburgh Labour U-turns on Cammy Day's council comeback bid
The appointment was due be tabled for approval on Thursday, June 19 — at a meeting where the focus will be on the findings of an investigation into how the authority handled complaints about Councillor Day's alleged misconduct, conducted by Kevin Dunion, a former Scottish Information Commissioner.
However, the Labour group's leadership has since u-turned on the move, following opposition from some councillors whose votes would be crucial to passing the amendment, according to sources close to discussions. It's now expected the proposal will be brought forward at the next full council meeting at the end of August at the earliest.
Council leader Jane Meagher told The Herald: 'My focus at the moment is on the Dunion report and making sure we take swift action on its recommendations.'
Day resigned the council leadership, a position he held since 2022, in December after a newspaper reported he 'bombarded' two Ukrainian refugees with sexual messages - an allegation he strongly denies.
More sexual harassment allegations followed in the press from a constituent and a council staff member. Later addressing the claims against him, Day said he messaged men on the dating app Grindr, but denied ever acting inappropriately. In the same interview, he claimed to be the victim of a co-ordinated political plot designed to end his career.
After being issued an administrative suspension by Scottish Labour chiefs in response to the allegations he was welcomed back into the party this month. That came after a police investigation concluded there was "no evidence of criminality".
And on Monday at an internal meeting of Edinburgh's Labour group - who run the city council as a minority administration with support from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats - it was agreed Day's promotion to planning convener, a position that comes with a £14,000 pay rise from the standard councillor salary, should be presented for approval in the City Chambers on Thursday.
But by Wednesday morning, the plan had been abandoned.
It is understood that some councillors expressed concern over appointing Councillor Day to the role at the same meeting where issues related to his alleged misconduct would be debated.
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One Edinburgh Labour source said they didn't think there should be 'any way back into a senior position' for the former council leader.
A second said they believed Councillor Day should be given a second chance. 'Most people are fair minded and expect people to be given a second chance,' the source said. 'But it's the timing; it should be August at the earliest.'
Meanwhile, co-convener of Edinburgh Council's Green group, Chas Booth, said of the plan: 'This would absolutely beggar belief if we weren't so used by now to Labour consistently putting their own interests above those of the city.
'This is a man who has still not apologised for the hurt and upset his behaviour has caused and has shown absolutely no contrition or remorse whatsoever, yet Labour appear set to hand him a plum job.
'What message does Labour think this would send to his alleged victims, or to people with experiences of sexual misconduct more generally? Labour must think again, Cllr Day must apologise for his behaviour, and other political parties must join us in opposing this appointment.'
Mr Dunion's 30-page report makes a series of recommendations around the council's complaints procedures and whistleblowing policy with a focus on the safeguarding of victims.
He highlighted the council lacks sufficient safeguards to prevent the type of alleged behaviour attributed to Councillor Day. However, the investigator concluded the more recent complaints against him - including those relating to alleged behaviour towards Ukrainian refugees that led to his resignation - were "well-handled and properly considered in line with the council's policies".
The inquiry also found there is "no doubt" there is a "significant perceived power imbalance" around the complaints being made to Edinburgh City Council about the "alleged unwanted behaviour" of the former council leader.
Mr Dunion stated in the report: "There are [...] instances which have apparently been reported up the management chain, such as alleged unwanted advances being made to junior staff but being treated as gossip, or concerns about a social relationship with a young member of staff being formed, but a procedural response taken, based around the narrow legal requirement for safeguarding."
Internal party disagreements over the response to the inquiry spilled onto social media.
Giving his reaction, Labour city councillor Stephen Jenkinson wrote on Facebook the investigation "confirms political hatchet job".
Commenting on the post, his Labour group colleague Cllr Katrina Faccenda said a 'more serious (and less tinfoil hatted) response would be to encourage people to read the report in full and follow discussion at next week's council'.
Former Labour Lord Provost of Edinburgh Lesley Hinds also responded. "The reason the report was commissioned," she wrote, "was because of the Labour Leader of the Council's [alleged] behaviour, as reported in the press.
"Rather than having a pop at SNP I think you should read the whole report and treat the allegations and the pattern of behaviour by the former Leader of the Council."
Ms Hinds told The Herald: 'Having read the Dunion Report I have been surprised by comments from some Edinburgh Councillors, who appear to be out of touch with the concerns and views from ordinary people and Labour Party members."
Councillor Jenkinson was contacted for comment.
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