INVERCLYDE Council’s SNP group has called for the local authority’s domestic assault-accused former leader to be referred to a standards watchdog after it emerged he is the tenant of a Labour peer, who was recently appointed to an influential area board.
The Sunday National revealed on Sunday that councillor Stephen McCabe’s detached house in Kilmacolm is owned by Labour grandee Lord William Haughey.
Councillor McCabe stepped down as the leader of Inverclyde Council on November 15 after pleading not guilty to charges of domestic assault and threatening and abusive behaviour at Greenock Sheriff Court.
The revelations about Lord Haughey’s connection with Councillor McCabe have sparked calls from SNP councillors for the ex-council leader to be referred to the Standards Commission for Scotland.
In his role as town board chair, Lord Haughey is set to oversee the spend of a £20million pot of levelling up funding pledged by the previous UK Government.
Speaking to the Sunday National last week, Lord Haughey denied that the decision to appoint him as chair of the town board involved Councillor McCabe.
In a statement provided to the Greenock Telegraph on behalf of the council’s SNP group, the nationalist councillors said: “Given the events that have been reported in The National over the weekend, we now feel that Councillor McCabe must be referred to Standards.
“There has been at least a lack of transparency with regards the personal financial relationship between Councillor McCabe and Lord Haughey: the sole nominee and eventual chair of the Greenock Town Board, overseeing a regeneration budget of £20m.
“Not only should Councillor McCabe be referred to Standards but we also call for Lord Haughey to step down from the Greenock Town Board.
“Additionally, we would call for Audit Scotland, or some equivalent independent body, to now undertake a full investigation into this situation - in order to regain political and organisational reputation for our council going forward.”
The house was sold in 2019 for £240,000 to Edward Stopps, a private individual and then in 2022, the property was sold by Stopps to Stevens Property Development Co Limited, over which the Labour peer is listed by Companies House as having “significant influence or control”.
Lord Haughey told the Sunday National the deal was struck to help Councillor McCabe keep the house – which he would otherwise have been unable to afford.
However, we also revealed the property is not listed on the Scottish Landlord Register – despite McCabe’s register of interests showing he is a tenant in Ward 1, where the property is located.
In their statement, Inverclyde Council’s SNP group raised concerns about the registration of the property, however Lord Haughey has said that the property was not registered with the Scottish Government because he was waiting on certification for works previously carried out.
The SNP group’s statement concluded: “We, and the people of Inverclyde, need action to be taken on each of these matters at the earliest opportunity - by the end of Monday, November 25 - to ensure that transparency and accountability are quickly brought to this situation.”
In response to the calls from the SNP group, an Inverclyde Council spokesperson said: “While council officers provide support to the towns fund board, it is independent from the council.
“A number of candidates were considered for the position of chairperson and the chairperson was unanimously approved by the board.
“None of the board members are paid or remunerated in any way.
“Should we receive details of a specific complaint it will be looked into.
“If anyone has a concern about any actions of an elected member they are able to refer the matter to the Standards Commission.
“Landlords have a responsibility to ensure they are registered with their local authority and councils have the power to investigate and obtain information as required to carry out their landlord registration functions.”
Councillor McCabe and Lord Haughey have been approached for comment.
