Another Day, Another Labour Scandal: Former Minister Charged with Electoral Fraud 

Porky-Pie Politician Strikes Again: Labour Veteran Charged With Electoral Fraud

Just when Labour thought they might enjoy a moment’s respite from controversy, another skeleton has come tumbling out of the party’s crowded closet. Frank McAveety, a senior Glasgow councillor, former council leader, and one-time Scottish Labour minister, has been charged with electoral fraud in what appears to be a particularly brazen case of residential deception. 

Police Scotland have confirmed that a 62-year-old man – identified by multiple sources as McAveety – “has been arrested and charged in connection with fraud offences in the Glasgow area between 2022 and 2024.” A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal, Scotland’s public prosecutor, “in due course.” 

At the heart of the allegations lies a stunningly simple deception: McAveety is accused of providing a false Glasgow address when standing for local election in 2022, while actually residing in Paisley, a separate town outside Glasgow’s boundaries. This isn’t merely a technicality – it’s a fundamental violation of the democratic principle that those who represent a community should actually live in that community. 

For McAveety, this charge marks yet another humiliating chapter in a political career already tarnished by previous scandal. In 2004, he was unceremoniously sacked from his ministerial position by then First Minister Jack McConnell following what became known as “porky-pie gate” – an embarrassing episode in which McAveety told parliament he had been detained by government business when, in fact, he had been eating a pie for lunch. The nickname takes on an ironic new dimension given the current allegations about truthfulness in official documents. 

McAveety’s political journey has been something of a rollercoaster. After losing his seat in the Scottish Parliament to the SNP in the 2011 Holyrood elections, he reinvented himself by winning election to Glasgow City Council in 2012. He eventually clawed his way back to prominence, becoming council leader in 2015, only to be unseated again by the SNP’s Susan Aitken in 2017. 

The timing of these charges raises serious questions for Scottish Labour. As the party attempts to rebuild its once-dominant position in Scottish politics, the last thing it needs is another high-profile figure embroiled in allegations of dishonesty. The fact that the alleged offences occurred in 2022 suggests a troubling lack of due diligence in vetting candidates, even those with McAveety’s lengthy political experience. 

This case also highlights a broader issue that plagues local politics across the UK: the growing disconnect between representatives and the communities they claim to serve. If elected officials don’t even live among their constituents, how can they possibly understand the everyday challenges those constituents face? 

McAveety has reportedly stepped down from his roles on Glasgow City Council while the legal process unfolds. Labour has yet to issue a comprehensive statement on the matter, though the pressure will undoubtedly mount for the party to distance itself clearly and unequivocally from their former minister. 

For voters in Glasgow and beyond, this case serves as yet another reminder that the gap between what politicians say and what they actually do remains one of the most persistent and troubling features of our political landscape. 

Paul Knaggs