Candidates to lead Labour on Glasgow council revealed as party veteran stands down
Two Labour councillors are in the running to become their party's next leader on Glasgow council. Rashid Hussain and Jill Pidgeon are the contenders to succeed party veteran George Redmond who is standing down. It means the Labour group will elect their first female leader in decades or their first BAME leader. But it is understood there were no nominations for the posts of Chair or Business Manager , landing the victor a potential headache in running the party in the city chambers. Hussain, a Bailie , is a data analyst for an aerospace company and sits on the council's Net Zero and Climate Progress Monitoring committee. Pidgeon, Labour 's education spokesperson on the council, is a company director and works for MP Zubir Ahmed. She would be Labour's first female group leader on the council in Glasgow since Jean McFadden in the 1990s. Two sources told the Record the contest is too close to call. In a statement to colleagues, Redmond revealed he would not stand for re-election: "After a great deal of thought and reflection, I've decided that I will not be seeking nomination for group leader at the forthcoming AGM . "It has been an immense honour to serve as Labour's leader. I want to thank each and every one of you for your support, your trust, and your friendship over the years. We've faced challenges head-on, stood firm in our values, and worked tirelessly for the people we represent. I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved together. Redmond, who was first elected in 1999, was a key player in exposing the scandal of golden goodbyes to former senior figures at the council. Labour ran Glasgow council for decades before they were toppled by the SNP in 2017. To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here
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