A board member of Scotland's largest social landlord has been forced to resign after confessing to housing benefit fraud over the course of nearly 15 years.
John McVicar, a tenant member of Glasgow Housing Association, quit the body after admitting to his fellow board members that he was under investigation for failing to declare a private pension while claiming benefit.
He has since publicly claimed to have been "diddling" for 14 years and said that he needed the money for his grandchildren.
Mr McVicar's housing benefit has since been halted while the official probe by Glasgow City Council is conducted, leaving open the very real possibility of him falling into rent arrears and potentially facing eviction.
Housing campaigners have criticised the Labour Party activist, who was elected to the GHA board in the summer of 2005 and is vice chairman of Maryhill Local Housing Association, claiming he has overseen the evictions of tenants who have fallen behind in rent while he himself was falsely claiming benefits. He has also resigned from Maryhill Local Housing Authority.
In reports yesterday, Mr McVicar, 64, said he had raised the issue of the city council fraud investigation with GHA on November 25 and then resigned following a meeting with three board members, including chairwoman Sandra Forsythe.
He said: "I've got four of my grandkids living with me, and it's to do with that. That's why I'm in the state I'm in.
"When I told GHA, they weren't interested in that. I was asked to resign and I never questioned it.
"It was going to be a suspension then a leave of absence, then the tenant chair Sandra Forsythe wanted me to resign, so I resigned.
"I know the council are calling it fraud but I don't quite see it as fraud. You have to declare it but I didn't declare it."
Mr McVicar, who made the shortlist of Labour candidates at the last local government elections, also said he understood why his resignation was asked for but said those who demanded he quit had no interest in his circumstances.
He also refused to say how much money he had falsely claimed, adding simply: "I have broken the rules."
Although some within the social landlord are known to "feel sorry" for their former colleague, Glasgow SNP councillor Billy McAllister, who until last month sat on the Maryhill LHA committee with Mr McVicar, said the ex-GHA board member had "fallen on his own sword".
He said: "When I think of the times John McVicar has taken the moral high ground on rent and had people evicted, I'm totally disgusted now I know what he's been up to.
"It's nothing but double standards and hypocrisy from a man who has fallen on his own sword. Maybe now he'll understand what others have gone through."
The GHA refused to discuss the specifics of Mr McVicar's resignation.
A spokeswoman for the housing association said: "Tenant board member John McVicar resigned from the GHA board in November for personal reasons.
"The GHA board accepted his resignation and thanked Mr McVicar for his contribution to the board over the past three years.
"Mr McVicar tendered his resignation following an informal meeting with GHA chair Sandra Forsythe and two members of GHA staff to discuss the rules of governance relating to board membership."
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