Bungling stokes fears of summit shambles

IT should have been an ideal opportunity for Scotland and its biggest city to be showcased to the world.

But Cop26 is rapidly descending into a shambles even before it’s begun – to the extent that cartoonists on the other side of the world are already lampooning the city.

Rail and bin strikes threaten to create chaos – and it’s understandable that within the UK Government there’s mounting anxiety over the problems.

International visitors might well see a city of littered streets, overflowing bins and a rail system in paralysis.

Union bosses are open about the disruption they intend to cause, with one of the RMT’s chiefs warning of ‘carnage’.

Their rhetoric exposes them as opportunists intent on exploiting a major event for their own agendas.

They should shelve their threats and work to ensure Cop26 runs smoothly.

Meanwhile, refuse workers are also plotting strike action that could lead to an environmental health crisis.

Industrial unrest in the crucial weeks ahead could turn the summit into a complete fiasco, shaming Scotland on the global stage. And yet our own ministers are unusually low-profile with little to say about the calamity unfolding.

The SNP in Glasgow styles itself as a ‘city government’ but is in a state of complete denial about potholed roads and litterstrewn pavements. Its leader, Susan Aitken, has underestimated the scale of the cleanup task required, with just days to go until the United Nations gathering begins.

As Michael Gove points out, these toxic disputes have to be resolved by the unions working with local authorities, rail operators and the SNP Government.

But the fact UK Government figures are becoming embroiled in the situation shows how badly it has been handled by Scottish ministers. They have had more than enough time to ensure preparations for this vital event go to plan. How predictable – and yet how disgraceful – that the run-up to the summit should be marred by the prospect of transport turmoil and filthy streets.

The SNP Government and indeed SNP council bosses in Glasgow must do all they can to make sure Cop26 is remembered as a triumph – and not a disaster.