Glasgow's Lord Provost has been urged to resign after spending more than £8000 of public money on clothes and beauty products.
Labour MSP James Kelly accused SNP councillor Eva Bolander – who claimed £1150 for 23 pairs of shoes and £152 for underwear – of going on a “grotesque spending spree at the taxpayers’ expense”.
And Tory MSP Annie Wells blasted: “She must now do the right thing and stand down – there’s simply no way she can continue after these reports. She also owes the people of Glasgow an almighty apology.”
However, council leader Susan Aitken defended Bolander and denied the underwear claims were for pants.
The how Bolander, who was appointed Lord Provost in 2016, had claimed for more than 150 items since then.
Her predecessor, Sadie Docherty, had made no claims over a similar two-year period.
The Lord Provost, who represents the council at ceremonial events, got her nails done 20 times and claimed £751 for 10 taxpayer-funded haircuts.
A favoured shopping haunt was John Lewis, where she blew more than £500 in one splurge.
The story caused outrage as the jobs-cutting council has been accused of illegally denying temporary accommodation to homeless applicants.
Kelly said: “In just one trip to John Lewis she spent more on herself than what a worker being paid the national minimum wage earns in a whole week. She should pay it back and resign.”
Rhea Wolfson of the GMB union said Bolander was “horrendously out of touch”, adding: “ in the shoes of GMB members, like home carers working on foot every day to look after our most vulnerable citizens.
“That’s why we have written to the Lord Provost today urging her to do just that. Struggling council staff and many in the communities they serve can only dream about the lifestyle Councillor Bolander has been leading, so she should do the right and accept our invitation.
“If she can’t bring herself to do so, she should resign.”
In a tweet yesterday, Aitken wrote: “It’s part of the LP’s salary in Glasgow, it’s always been understood that there’s an additional cost of being civic leader. Underwear = not pants but long slips for under black tie dresses.”
Latest figures show Bolander has an allowance from Glasgow City Council of £41,545.96, including a £5000 civic allowance.
