Parts of Glasgow are "falling to bits" and risk jeopardising investment in the city, SNP ministers have been warned. A report by accounting giant EY said the "visible deterioration" of city centres could dent Scotland's position as the best place in the UK for inward investment outside of London.
"We still hear frustrations from clients and the market that Scotland's tightening economic policies, including the latest income tax hikes and issues around city and infrastructure quality, are causes for concern," he told The Times. "We used to have a situation where there was a street cleaner designated to that area. You got to know them, there was a relationship there, you could speak to them about an issue and it would get sorted. That's just not there anymore.
Chris Mitchell, a GMB convenor in the city, said: “It can become depressing. Mentally and physically it is challenging for people in the morning to look out the window, particularly on a dark, dreary day, and they’re seeing there’s weeds about everywhere, the drains are all blocked, there’s rubbish lying everywhere."
Daniel Johnson, Scottish Labour's economy spokesman, said: "The government must work to upgrade our crumbling infrastructure, support our struggling cities and rule out any further income tax hikes in order to unlock Scotland's huge potential, deliver economic growth and create jobs".