Exclusive: Embattled former council leader lays groundwork for political comeback

A month ago former leader of Glasgow City Council Steven Purcell appeared on the front page of the Scottish Mail on Sunday. In a ‘mia culpa’ style article Purcell complained about the hounding he’s received from the press over the past four months and expressed his desire to get on with his life (read: political career). Shortly afterwards it was reported that Purcell is to take up a post with the charitable Stewart & McKenna Foundation.

Scrapbook has  it on good authority that Purcell has recruited dozens of new members in his local Labour Party branch (37 at last count). With a couple of retirements expected in the Garscadden/Scotstounhill council ward Purcell could be angling to step into this vacuum in 2012.

Word on the street is that Purcell has his eyes on John Robertson’s Westminster seat of Glasgow North West in 2015.

No one seems to have told him it’s likely to disappear with boundary changes.

UPDATE: A source close to John Robertson has been in touch to assure us that ”John is 100% certain” he’ll be standing at the next election, meanwhile The Herald have also mooted the possibility of a move for the Glasgow Anniesland Scottish Parliament seat currently held by Bill Butler. With incumbents in their 50s and a “long road back” to political recovery, a realistic timetable seems to preclude standing for Westminster or Holyrood in 2015. The young Purcell has time to wait.