Meeting of the Parliament 02 December 2025
As a proud Glaswegian, I look forward to welcoming all the world-class athletes who will be competing in the games and all the visitors. Furthermore, I would like to welcome the sun, which will, no doubt, be shining for the full 11 days of the Commonwealth games.
I have no doubt that the international athletes will have a seamless experience in the pool and on the track, because the Commonwealth Games Federation will be organising that. My concern is about everything that Glasgow City Council, which is led by the Scottish National Party, is in charge of. [Interruption.] Volunteers, spectators and the local community all need to have the same seamless experience of our great city. Clearly, SNP members do not agree with that.
Business leaders are telling me that Glasgow City Council is woefully underprepared and has not progressed work as expected. Our city centre is choked with roadworks, making it virtually impossible to get in and out of the city centre, and there is rubbish everywhere, with rats that are big enough to compete at the games.
The cabinet secretary said that £150,000 will be given to run Scotland house, which will be located in the Corinthian. For those who do not know Glasgow, that is about 50 yards away from the iconic George Square, which is currently closed for construction work. The greatest example of farce by Glasgow City Council is that it will not accelerate the works in order for George Square to be open for the games. That would literally involve accelerating the programme by a few weeks. Will the Scottish Government commit to ensuring that George Square will be open by providing the required resources? Does the cabinet secretary agree that the only traffic cone that spectators should see should be the one on the Duke of Wellington’s head?