A TOP council official previously embroiled in a major junkets scandal is under investigation over claims he breached professional rules and electoral law by assisting Labour's local poll campaign.

Bob Wylie, an officer at Glasgow City Council, is accused of providing support to a senior Labour figure at a hustings event.

The former high-profile BBC journalist and transport quango spin doctor is in a restricted post meaning he cannot be involved in party politics.

The event also took place during the pre-election 'purdah' period, when further restrictions are in place.

Rivals at the hustings later complained over the alleged behaviour with the council's chief executive, triggering a formal investigation.

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The political restriction of some council officials is covered by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 while rules on the pre-election period is contained within the 1986 Local Government Act.

Guidance issued to authority employees states that "staff in politically restricted posts should not undertake any political activity at any times".

It adds: "Council facilities and resources must not be used in any way in support of a political party or election candidate or for political purposes.

"The key test is whether a particular act could be perceived as seeking to influence public opinion or promote the public image of a particular candidate, group of candidates or political party."

Although he works in the office of council leader Frank McAveety, Mr Wylie, who denies any wrong doing, is bound by the rules.

The allegations emerged a hustings hosted by the Evening Times, where Mr McAveety was speaking in a his capacity as a Labour candidate on May 4.

One senior council source: "This is always a grey area but others at least attempt to be discreet. Bob's problem is he's rubbed people's noses in it and believed there'd be no come back."

Mr Wylie was in charge of public relations at Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) when it emerged in 2010 that officials had clawed back more than £100,000 and gone on foreign fact-finding trips to China, India, Italy, America, Singapore, Russia, Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic.

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He later handed back expenses racked up during a junket to Manchester on the day Rangers played in the 2008 UEFA Cup final.

Mr Wylie, whose CV describes him as a “hot shot crime correspondent and intrepid story breaker”, left his post during a subsequent management restructuring which also saw the agency's three most senior staff, chairman, vice chair and chief executive, step down.

Martin Bartos, the Green representative at the hustings, said: "If it turns out to have been a member of council staff on-duty publicly assisting any candidate politically during an election, or someone with a politically restricted role in breach of restrictions, then, regrettably for the individual, I would expect that would likely make it a serious disciplinary matter for the chief executive and/or line manager to investigate and address as appropriate."

A spokesman for the SNP, which also formally raised the issue, said: "This is not the first time that serious questions have had to be asked about Bob Wylie's role but this might be the most blatant breach so far of the rules about council officers taking part in political activity. It is emblematic of the way that Glasgow Labour have, for decades now, simply used and misused the council for their own benefit."

A Labour campaign source added: "This is characteristic of Bob's behaviour since he joined the council and is a distraction we could do without."

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A council spokesman said: “Two elected members have raised questions with the Chief Executive. Given that, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

Mr Wylie said: “I don’t believe I have broken any rules. However, in hindsight, I should have been more aware of how people might perceive my presence at the event. I have already apologised to the leader of the council.”