As Sturgeon lectures world on need to clean up, this is the state of her OWN constituency
In front of a crowd of eager young faces yesterday, nicola Sturgeon launched into a speech in which she lectured world leaders on how they should protect the environment.
However, at the very same time that the First Minister was urging politicians to take ‘credible actions’ to achieve net zero emissions and a cleaner planet, these pictures were taken of streets in her own constituency ‘overflowing with rubbish’.
Less than two miles from the main arena where the Cop26 summit begins on Sunday, piles of rubbish, fly-tipped items and overflowing bins were clear for all to see in the Govanhill area of Glasgow Southside, which Miss Sturgeon represents at the Scottish parliament.
Sodden mattresses, dumped couches and pile after pile of bursting black bin bags remained uncollected on pavements and at street corners. Meanwhile, addressing students at Strathclyde University in the city, Miss Sturgeon spoke of encouraging ‘national governments to match the ambition of cities, regions and state governments’.
Opposition politicians called the situation an ‘international embarrassment’ at a time when the focus of the world’s media was on the city. Conservative MSP for the Glasgow region Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: ‘nicola Sturgeon said Scotland should use the ‘‘power of our example’’ to lead the fight against climate change – yet what kind of example is it that the streets of our First Minister’s own constituency are overflowing with rubbish? The mess in Glasgow’s streets is on track to become an
international embarrassment. Our city has got into this state due to years of SNP incompetence and neglect, at both the Government and council level. Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP must urgently fix the issues in their own back yard if they want to have any credibility discussing environmental issues on the international stage.’
Concern has been growing for months over fly-tipping and litter in Glasgow, which critics say has been fuelled by charges for the bulk uplift of domestic waste.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: ‘Credibility begins at home – with bins collected, trains running and Glasgow flourishing.
‘Instead, rubbish is lining the streets in the First Minister’s own back yard, while her government misses their own climate targets. If Nicola Sturgeon is serious about credible action, she should take some.’
In her speech, Miss Sturgeon called for a ‘significant uplift in ambition’ from world leaders, saying: ‘We will encourage national governments to match the ambition of cities, regions and state governments.’