Tommy Sheridan: "Financial blackmail"

The principle of transfer is now likely to be passed to the local authority's policy and resources committee.

The move will then have to be approved by the tenants in a ballot which is likely to be held in January.

Speaking on BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Gordon said tenants would have the final say on whether to go ahead with the plans.

"We have been talking about this for two-and-a-half years and during that time we have sent a lot of information to tenants," Mr Gordon said.

'Every home'

"But human nature the way it is people only really focus on an issue as it comes to a climax.

"They start to look at what it might mean for their home, their street, and their neighbourhood.

"One of the things we are insisting on in this whole deal is that it should be for every home and every tenant.

"Tenants are very pragmatic and they would like their homes renovated sooner rather than later.

"Of course they are looking for safeguards regarding investment, rent levels and security of tenure. Most of these safeguards are already in place."

Tenants will vote on whether to press ahead

Mr Gordon added that Glasgow's homeless population would still be the council's responsibility if the transfer did go through.

He said some housing stock would be made available to help cater for the city's homeless people.

"The rate at which the council is investing and renovating housing, it would take us 30 years for every home to be of a decent standard.

"Through this deal it can certainly happen within six years and overall neighbourhoods can be renewed within 10 years."

Social housing

Mr Sheridan said tenants' interests had been ignored by all those involved in the stock transfer project.

He said: "I hope the tenants reject this financial blackmail.

"What we have got here, and the council is a minor partner in all of this, is bribery.

"The Westminster Government and the Scottish Executive are saying 'we will give you �900m to wipe off your debt' and the executive saying 'we'll give you �400m over 10 years' but only if the tenants transfer.

"Now under any other trade description that would be seen as blackmail. For 100 years the council has offered the security of social housing for tens of thousands of people.

"The council is saying that it doesn't have the money that the new body will have access to.

"But tenants have not been involved in this. They get a vote at the end of the process but that is not consultation, and it is treating tenants with a great degree of disregard."