REPORTS of Glasgow being “filthy” ahead of the UN’s COP26 climate talks were disputed by the BBC’s Andrew Marr this weekend as he presented his weekly show from the city.

Various opposition politicians have described Scotland’s biggest city in unflattering terms in recent weeks, with Conservative MSP Sandesh Gulhane telling Politico it’s in an “absolutely sorry state” and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar branding the situation a “waste crisis”.

The SNP leader of Glasgow City Council, Susan Aitken, has previously come under fire for saying the city just needs a “spruce up” and arguing that all cities deal with challenges like rats.

The National:

Today GMB members in Glasgow’s cleansing department went on strike, arguing the council hadn’t given members “proper time and space” to consider a pay offer from Cosla.

Cosla had proposed a 5.8% pay rise for lowest paid staff – trade unions suspended industrial action to consult their members, but GMB said last night it was back on, saying the conditions workers face and their pay levels aren’t “good enough”. 

Nicola Sturgeon, who represents Glasgow Southside at the Scottish Parliament, has accused many of those criticising the state of the city of talking it down for “political purposes”.

Discussing the papers on his programme yesterday morning, Glasgow-born Marr said: "There's been a lot of coverage in the press in the run-up to COP about the disgraceful state of Glasgow and how terrible it looks ... but actually I was wandering around Glasgow yesterday and it was absolutely beautiful.

“It was sunny, it was looking clean, it was busy, it was friendly, there were demonstrations but they were cheerful and colourful - the city was looking really great."

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council told The National: “The council has always been open about the fact that the pandemic – and the necessary public health restrictions that have been in place – had disrupted services and created some particular challenges, particularly with fly tipping and graffiti.

“However, we have also been clear that, as in almost every other city, a recovery plan was in place and that improvements were being made.”

Meanwhile, cleansing workers in Glasgow are now on strike for the first full week of COP26.  

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A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said today: “The agreement struck at national level gave two weeks to consider the pay offer and so there is no reason for this strike to go ahead at this time. It is very disappointing the GMB has opted for this course of action.

“We have already agreed their request for time to meet with their members. And, while we remain available to meet with them at any time, we are unable to deliver their request for a pay increase.

“That is part of a national negotiation and a new deal was tabled by Cosla last week.

“It appeared that GMB, along with the other unions, had agreed to suspend the strike until national consultation was complete and it is very disappointing they have reneged on that agreement and have not given us the required 14 days’ notice after they publicly announced the suspension on Friday.”