Frank McAveety elected as new Glasgow City Council leader

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-34208983

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Frank McAveety has been elected as the new leader of Glasgow City Council.

The Labour councillor previously held the post from 1997 until 1999 when he was elected to the Scottish Parliament.

Mr McAveety held several ministerial positions before he lost the Glasgow Shettleston seat to the SNP in 2011.

He was elected to the council in 2012 and succeeds Gordon Matheson who stood down on Thursday. Mr McAveety said it was "an immense honour and privilege" to lead Scotland's largest council.

Education and jobs

He said: "At all times, I will be pressing the case for what's best for Glasgow.

"The city has given me everything in life and I will work tirelessly for the benefit of its people."

Mr McAveety said the council's focus would "continue to be on education and job creation".

"We will attempt to be a shield for the vulnerable and the creator of opportunity for all," he said.

"I'll work in partnership with anyone - the UK government, the Scottish government and the business community - as long as they are prepared to do the right thing for the people of Glasgow, because I will always put our citizens first."

Mr McAveety was chosen to succeed Mr Matheson at a meeting of Labour councillors on Wednesday and was formally elected at a meeting of the full council on Thursday.

He served as deputy minister for Local Government, deputy minister for Health and Community Care and Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport during his time in the Scottish Parliament.

His predecessor, Mr Matheson, who served for five years as council leader, is expected to stand as a candidate for Labour in next year's Scottish Parliament elections.

Labour, which has had overall control of Glasgow City Council since 1980, had 45 of the city's 79 councillors at the last election in 2012.