Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, has been cleared by the Standards Commissioner over allegations she should have declared an interest over a £1 a year rent given to a venture her husband was involved in.

The Glasgow Times reported in November last year, that Labour group leader, Frank McAveety, reported Ms Aitken to the commissioner.

It is now understood the Commissioner has concluded investigations and found there has been no breach of the code of conduct for councillors.

The allegations centred on the city council’s Meanwhile Spaces project, which started in June 2019, which saw 11 vacant shop units on High Street and Saltmarket handed over to clients working in the creative industries.

Ms Aitken’s husband, Gordon Archer, was a director of Sogo Arts, a lifestyle and arts magazine, which received a Saltmarket shop for just £1 a year. The council leader did not declare an interest during talks on the scheme.

A source close to Susan Aitken said: “The findings couldn’t be clearer. Susan has been completely cleared by the Standards Commission of any breaches of any of the rules or indeed of any wrong doing.

“This was always trial by Twitter, an orchestrated and sustained campaign by opponents to smear her and create murk where there is none.”

Both Police Scotland and now the Standards Commission have concluded there’s no case to answer. “Given that, to keep repeating these false allegations will now be considered defamatory.”