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| Council leader announces he's gay | Council leader announces he's gay |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The leader of Glasgow City Council has announced he is gay and has separated from his wife of more than five years. | The leader of Glasgow City Council has announced he is gay and has separated from his wife of more than five years. |
| Councillor Steven Purcell said he felt the need to come out following increasingly distracting rumours about his private life. | Councillor Steven Purcell said he felt the need to come out following increasingly distracting rumours about his private life. |
| It is understood the 34-year-old's estranged wife Katrina, who is a health worker, will continue to support him as a friend. | It is understood the 34-year-old's estranged wife Katrina, who is a health worker, will continue to support him as a friend. |
| Mr Purcell was elected leader of the city council in May last year. | Mr Purcell was elected leader of the city council in May last year. |
| Glasgow's Lord Provost, Liz Cameron, said as a friend of the couple she would continue to support them both during what was a sad time. | |
| She said Glasgow was an open, modern city an inclusive city. | |
| Yoker resident, Mr Purcell, became a Glasgow councillor in May 1995 for the ward of Blairdardie. | |
| It did not come as a shock to me to find out that Steven was gay Katrina PurcellWife of Glasgow Council leader | It did not come as a shock to me to find out that Steven was gay Katrina PurcellWife of Glasgow Council leader |
| In a statement on Saturday he said: "Over the past couple of weeks the rumours surrounding my marriage have increasingly become a distraction to me. I wish to set out in public the facts surrounding the issue. | |
| "For the last year my marriage has been in trouble and some months ago my wife and I separated. | "For the last year my marriage has been in trouble and some months ago my wife and I separated. |
| "One of the issues we have been facing up to is the fact that I have realised I am gay. | "One of the issues we have been facing up to is the fact that I have realised I am gay. |
| "Over the last two to three weeks I have been telling close family, friends and colleagues. | "Over the last two to three weeks I have been telling close family, friends and colleagues. |
| 'Very sad' | 'Very sad' |
| "Now that they are aware of the situation, and that Katrina and I are clear they understand the issues, I want to dispel the rumours and get on with the job I am privileged to do as leader of the city council." | "Now that they are aware of the situation, and that Katrina and I are clear they understand the issues, I want to dispel the rumours and get on with the job I am privileged to do as leader of the city council." |
| Mrs Purcell released a statement saying it had been a difficult time for herself and her husband. | Mrs Purcell released a statement saying it had been a difficult time for herself and her husband. |
| She said: "I am naturally very sad that we have had to announce our separation. | She said: "I am naturally very sad that we have had to announce our separation. |
| "It did not come as a shock to me to find out that Steven was gay and I now intend to offer him continued friendship and support, and otherwise to get on with my own busy life." | "It did not come as a shock to me to find out that Steven was gay and I now intend to offer him continued friendship and support, and otherwise to get on with my own busy life." |
| The couple do not have any children. | The couple do not have any children. |
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