A councillor has railed against any public funding to rebuild Glasgow School of Art after calling it “an elite place for elite people”.

Labour’s Paul Carey launched his attack after revealing what he described as “eye-
watering” travel expenses for both students and staff at the globally rated institution.

Mr Carey admitted he had been distraught when the school’s iconic heart –an 1899 Charles Rennie Mackintosh building – burned down for a second time in June.

But he argued that a £560,000 expenses bill over two years meant GSA should foot its own £100 million bill to restore “The Mack”.

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Mr Carey said: “Given the fact that the GSA has spent over half a million on expenses from 2016 to 2018 and it has one of the lowest student attendances from working backgrounds within the UK, this seems to be an elite place for elite people.

“I like anyone else was devastated when the Glasgow School of Art was burnt down. However, we cannot justify in this day and age that any public funding should go to this elite school when we still have food banks in this city.”

Instead, Mr Carey, who represents the city’s Drumchapel/Anniesland ward, insisted the money would be better spent elsewhere in the city.

He added: “Surely helping the public museums would be a better use of public money as it is for the greater good of the general public instead of it going to an almost elite institution.”

Mr Carey’s remarks drew a puzzled response from the art school, since it had not sought any council funding.

A spokeswoman said: “We are entirely trusting that the rebuild of The Mackintosh Building is not going to cost any public money.”

She stressed that an internationally renowned institution should expect to run up travel bills. She said: “GSA is an international institution, rooted in Glasgow. We have a campus in Singapore and links to many other international institutions. 

“Additionally, our expert staff take part in international conferences and events across the world raising the profile of Glasgow as a global leader in creativity and innovation.

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“We also have one of the most vibrant international student exchange programmes in the higher education sector, encouraging our students to undertake exchange as part of their studies.”

Mr Carey cited detailed information on expenses under a Freedom of Information request. Since 2016, the school has spent a total of £560,952 sending 553 staff and students to the likes of Australia, China and Luxembourg. That is around £1,000 per person. The FoI request found the bill included at least 18 stays at top-rated hotels. 

Mr Carey, now in opposition, previously campaigned for FoI reforms.

However, when in power as chairman of Glasgow City Council’s troubled arm’s-length construction firm City Building, he attempted to block details of hospitality provided using corporate credit cards. Mr Carey objected to the release of data – which showed spending peaking at £120,000 a year – because it would spark “negative publicity”.

The Mack blaze in June came just four years after parts of the building were destroyed by a smaller but still serious fire. The school’s director, Tom Inns, quit in November and politicians, including Glasgow SNP MSP Sandra White, have questioned whether its board is fit for purpose.