The new head of the council elected after the resignation of his predecessor for “inappropriate behavior”

A new leader of Edinburgh Council has been elected after Cammy Day resigned from her post over allegations he sent ‘unsolicited’. messages” to Ukrainian refugees.

Day is the subject of a police investigation following a complaint of “inappropriate behavior”.

Councilors from each political group were invited to nominate a candidate to head the local authorities in the capital.

Councilor Jane Meagher, the current head of housing, won the leadership race after a takeover bid from the SNP and Greens failed by 28 votes to 32.

Day was suspended from the Scottish Labor Party following the accusations and faced calls to step down from opposition politicians.

A Labor spokeswoman said: “The Labor Party takes all complaints seriously.

“They are fully investigated in accordance with our rules and procedures, and all appropriate actions are taken.”

In a statement, Day said: “Recent comments about my personal life undermine the important work that this Labour-led council does for the people of Edinburgh. This undermines the dedicated efforts of my colleagues and Council leadership.

“That is why it is time for me to step down from my leadership position. I have not yet been contacted by the police, but I would like to reiterate that I will cooperate fully with their ongoing investigations.

“I am extremely proud of what we have achieved for the capital during my time as leader and I truly believe that Edinburgh is a better and fairer city as a result.

“I am also proud of having succeeded in doing politics across divides, finding a way to achieve our priorities for our population and our city.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Tuesday October 22, 2024, we received a report of inappropriate behavior.

“Investigations are underway to establish all the circumstances.”