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» Council leader slated in social distance row » Apology after photo of pub drinks with pals
The leader of Scotland’s biggest council has apologised for appearing to break social distancing rules days after her local authority plunged back into lockdown.
Pictures obtained by the Sunday Mail show the SNP’s Susan Aitken enjoying drinks at a pub with three colleagues
on Friday night. Scottish Government guidelines demand groups meeting in bars do not include members of more than three households.
Distancing of one metre also appears not to be happening in the group, despite National Clinical Director Jason Leitch yesterday issuing advice that people in bars must “physically distance from everyone” outside their household.
Glasgow City Council leader Aitken – a senior ally of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – was photographed at the city’s Metropolitan
Bar with fellow
SNP councillors Christina Cannon and Jen Layden, and Labour’s Aileen McKenzie.
They are seen sitting at a table for four and drinking wine and cocktails at the Merchant Square venue. They appear to be less than a metre apart.
Lockdown rules were reimposed in the city just days earlier because of rising Covid-19 infection rates. McKenzie even tweeted a picture of herself with the caption: “Yaasss drinks out with the ladies.”
On Thursday, Aitken, 48, begged people to “please, please” follow guidelines to avoid further measures such as schools closing.
But when we contacted Glasgow City Council, they refused to comment.
A spokesman from the SNP later said no rules had been broken – claiming councillors Layden and Cannon had formed an “extended household”, meaning they could be classed as one household.
But he said: “Whilst this did not breach guidance, Susan understands it may have appeared that way and is sorry it caused concern.”
But Thomas Kerr, leader of the Scottish Tories group at Glasgow City Council, said: “This is reckless behaviour.”
Lib Dem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “The decision of these councillors is wrong and insensitive.”
Scottish Greens councillor Jon Molyneux said: “I urge them all to apologise.”
The Scottish Government declined to comment.
It emerged yesterday the number of coronavirus cases in Scotland has risen by 141 in 24 hours.