SNP ministers wrote to Edinburgh Council leader over claim they favoured Glasgow after city fires
Jenny Gilruth, the Deputy First Minister, told Jane Meagher her comments were ‘confusing’ and ‘disappointing’
SNP ministers wrote to the leader of Edinburgh City Council to criticise her claim that they had favoured Glasgow following two city centre fires.
Jenny Gilruth, the Deputy First Minister, told Jane Meagher her comments were "as confusing as they are disappointing".
It came after Ms Meagher accused the Scottish government of valuing Glasgow more highly for political reasons.
She said it was “shameful” First Minister John Swinney had not given Edinburgh “the attention that we deserve” after writing to him on July 17, the week after a blaze on Princes Street.
Ministers announced a financial package worth up to £10 million for Glasgow in dealing with the Union Corner fire, while up to £5 million was made available following the fire on Princes Street in July.
Ms Gilruth previously said the circumstances were very different. "Glasgow had to demolish a building, with businesses closing and going to the wall,” she said following a site visit in Edinburgh last month. “That's not what's happened here.”
In a letter to Ms Meagher on August 14, released to The Scotsman under freedom of information, she noted the council has raised no concerns during a face-to-face meeting earlier that month, and had “indeed welcomed the support offered by the Scottish government”.
Ms Gilruth added: “It may be helpful to set out a brief timeline of engagement between the council and the government. By the time you wrote to the First Minister on July 17, government officials and council officers were already in active discussions on the potential support we could offer.
“Those talks began on July 15, two days before your letter. Indeed, by the time your letter arrived, ministers were already considering initial advice from officials about the potential support package.
“I would also note that the expressed preference of the City of Edinburgh Council in discussion with Scottish government officials was that the meeting with myself should not take place until you had returned from a period of leave.
“For these reasons, your public comments are as confusing as they are disappointing. Our full focus must be on recovery and not on politics.
“That focus on recovery is why the support package offered represents the full ask of council officers and a significant degree of flexibility in recognition of the council's leadership of the local recovery effort.”
Ms Gilruth concluded her letter: “I trust we can move forward in continued collaboration around the communication of the administration of this support, and to jointly working on the longer-term recovery of the site and wider area, in a manner that reflects our shared commitment to the residents, businesses and communities affected by this incident.”
In a subsequent letter on August 31, Ms Meagher said the council welcomed the £5 million funding. “As outlined in your letter, we are aligned in our intention to ensure that the value and impact of funding is targeted where it is needed most,” she said.
Speaking in early August, the council leader had said she was "disappointed that Glasgow seems to be more highly valued, in a sense, than we are”, adding: "It's a disappointing signifier of the esteem, or the importance, that Glasgow has over Edinburgh.
“It's hard not to think that it might be political. If you look at where the support for the Scottish National Party lies, I think that answers your question."
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