Edinburgh former council leader Cammy Day says he is a victim of 'orchestrated political campaign'

Cllr Day was suspended by the Labour Party and forced to quit as council leader in December following allegations he had "bombarded" Ukrainian refugees with inappropriate messages.

But police have said an an investigation found "no evidence of criminality". And he believes an independent investigation led by former Scottish information commissioner Kevin Dunion into complaints handling at the council, set up following the allegations against him, will help to clear his name and expose those he claims tried to end his career.

Cammy Day now wants to be readmitted to the Labour Party and return to the city's administration | TSPL

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Cllr Day said: "Things were leaked to the media, leaked to the Labour party and reported to the police all at the same time. So someone co-ordinated this, and I think it was an orchestrated political campaign against me.

"It was clearly politically motivated. The fact everything seems to be coming from one party tells me where it's coming from.

"There have been attempts to unseat me and my colleagues by other parties over some time. They hadn't worked. So certain people have looked for an alternative reason to oust me and they've succeeded by looking at things I do in my private life and using that as a tool."

Cllr Day has been council leader since the last local elections in 2022, when Labour took control at the City Chambers with the help of Lib Dem and Tory votes, despite the SNP being the biggest party. Before that, he had been deputy leader in a coalition with SNP and its then leader Adam Nols-McVey.

The Sunday Times said Cllr Day was seeking seek legal advice on potential avenues to expose those he believed conspired against him. And it said he claimed to have evidence that implicated SNP figures in Edinburgh.

“We worked fine together [with the SNP] for five years, no issues. Then, when I became council leader, everything changed. Everyone wants to be in leadership, and the SNP clearly expected to be, but you've got to get the numbers to support you, and we did it."

Cllr Day acknowledged using gay dating apps. "So does every other gay man in the City Chambers," he said. "That's what people do these days. But that's not illegal. Have I done anything offensive? Absolutely not."

He strongly rejected allegations he had "bombarded" Ukrainian refugees with messages. "I've not done anything wrong," he said. "I had a life as a council leader and I had a private life which I'm entitled by law to. I don't think at any point I've behaved in a way that's inappropriate."

The Sunday Times said Cllr Day claimed any contact with Ukrainian refugees would have been coincidental and that he was not aware of any specific examples.

Cllr Day told the paper he now wanted to be readmitted to the Labour Party and return to a role in the council administration. "People have tried to ruin my life but they've not succeeded because I'll be back in that council doing what I've been elected to be doing."