Steven Purcell is a former Scottish Labour Party politician who was councillor for the Drumchapel/Anniesland ward of Glasgow City Council.
In late September 2011, Strathclyde Police's major crime unit had completed a probe into Purcell over allegations of corruption and links with gangsters during his time as Leader of Glasgow City Council and have submitted reports to the Procurator-Fiscal.
[8] It was later announced that he went missing from the hospital on Sunday, 28 February, with Lothian and Borders Police being called to find him, before returning on his own later that day.
On 4 March 2010, The Scotsman newspaper alleged that Glasgow City Council's press relations staff were preparing a press-release that stated Purcell's resignation was due to a "chemical dependency", but were stopped from doing so by lawyers representing Purcell who later put out the press release citing "stress and exhaustion" as his reasons for resigning.
[10] A further press release by his lawyers was put out denying this, stating that according to Mr. Purcell's psychiatrist, Dr. Florian Kaplick, "it needs to be noted that he was not treated for 'a drug problem'".