THE LABOUR leader of Edinburgh City Council has been accused of “bypassing democracy and dodging scrutiny” after he was forced to apologise for backing a green freeport bid without permission.

The authority will now be forced to tell both the Scottish and UK governments that a letter of support for a freeport bid on the Forth was “premature” after council leader Cammy Day backed the proposal without the support of councillors.

Councillors had debated the bid by Forth Ports earlier this year and agreed further information was needed before officially backing the proposals.

But due to the deadline for bids falling over the summer, council officials in consultation with Mr Day, decided to support the bid.

SNP, LibDems and Green councillors have teamed up to insist Mr Day and the council’s chief executive, Andrew Kerr pen a letter to both the UK and Scottish government to inform them the authority has not officially backed the bid.

Cllr Day apologised to councillors.

He said: “I was new in post but that’s not an excuse, we should have followed the process so I apologise for that.

“All along my ambition has been to ensure there would be a fair work agenda, good jobs, commitment to living wages and all the conditions we would expect including a unionised workforce.”

SNP Edinburgh group leader, Adam McVey, said: "It's startling that a decision taken by councillors in March this year was ignored by Labour, bypassing democracy and dodging scrutiny.

“Yet again we're hearing "sorry, we won't do it again" from Labour. This administration's ineptitude and arrogance continues to cause damage to our Council and to undermine democratic decisions, just as it did over the collapse of Edinburgh's Christmas contract.

"We need more information before the Council takes a final position on this bid. We will consider those details but we need to be assured that any bid meets climate objectives, promotes and protects fair work and keeps essential tax revenue that are so important in the current financial climate."