Malcolm Cunning ousted by George Redmond in Glasgow Labour 'brutal' battle

Soryia Siddique also defeated Cunning's number two Eva Murray to become deputy leader.

READ MORE: SNP and Greens to open talks in Glasgow on Holyrood style deal

Labour gained seats in Glasgow on May 5 - taking 36 seats to the SNP's 37 - but the result was not enough to avert a leadership contest.

Cunning’s preference had been to hold on to the post for a few years before handing over to a so-called next generation leader.

Redmond, elected as a councillor again after a five year break from the city chambers, pounced and challenged Cunning, pictured below on the election trail, for his job.

After a short but intense battle, he pipped the sitting leader after securing support from across the councillor group.

After the ballot, Cunning told The National: "I'm obviously disappointed at the result that's but that's democracy and that's a decision for the Labour group and what they see the next few years being. 

"I don't think it was the best time to hold a leadership election but a challenge was made and a challenge can be made at any stage in an [annual general meeting] and there is always an AGM immediately following an election."

Observing the contest one SNP insider told The Herald: "This is a clear indication of Labour going backwards, instead of forwards."

Asked whether he thought it was 'a brutal putsch', he said it was.

"Oh yes, given that Malcolm was the sitting Labour leader. He took them into the election and from their perspective they did pretty well. They increased their number of seats.

"And the thank you for that seems to be to be stabbed in the front."

Redmond, a close ally of fellow Labour councillor Frank McAveety, was approached by the Herald.

Last week he told the Record his first priority would be calling a summit of business leaders.

“Glasgow is not in a good place. People want the city cleaned up. One of the first things I would do is call a meeting of the business community about the city centre.

“The state of the city centre is heartbreaking. Big stores have pulled out. We can’t pretend it is not happening.”

Meanwhile, talks between the SNP and the Greens in Glasgow city council, are continuing about the possibility of jointly running the administration.

Last week SNP Councillor Ricky Bell told The Herald the parties would discuss the prospect of a formal coalition, a Holyrood style co-operation agreement or a confidence and supply deal, where the Greens would support the SNP on key votes such as the budget and no confidence motions.

Any formal deal the Greens strike with the SNP would have to be approved by party members nationally.

Members backed the Holyrood co-operation agreement the party made with the SNP last August which saw co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater appointed junior ministers in Nicola Sturgeon's government.

The agreement stopped short of a formal coalition as it allowed the parties to agree to disagree on certain policy areas, for instance whether an independent Scotland should be a Nato member. The SNP support membership while the Greens do not.