‘Remember we are pure dead brilliant’

MORE than 20 years after they first declared that “Glasgow’s Miles Better”, our friends in the West have new claims to be Scotland’s top city.

The bottles of ginger – if not something stronger – are no doubt being cracked open at the news that our neighbours have soared ahead in a respected survey of the best cities in which to do business. (Or, to be more accurate, Edinburgh has fallen further down the annual Cushman and Wakefield poll than Glasgow.)

That’s more bad news after the Rough Guide suggested Glasgow should be the new capital of Scotland, with its booming cultural attributes such as museums, music scene, clubs and theatres.

And, as if all that wasn’t enough, they have the Commonwealth Games to look forward to. But should we really pay much attention to these plaudits going west?

It has to be admitted that Edinburgh’s reputation has taken a battering recently, principally as a result of the trams. Until the inevitable inquiry takes place we won’t be sure how much of the blame lies with the council and elsewhere in the city.

But with the SNP dragging its heels on the timing, we can’t wait for that to happen. Instead, today’s survey should be an immediate wake-up call to redouble our efforts in promoting our wonderful city.

Sure, the trams scheme has been a disaster. But dare we hope that the worst is over, and that by 2014 we’ll have a modern, efficient public transport link to compare to Glasgow’s ageing underground loop? Even sooner – hopefully by the end of this year – the money- spinning pandas will provide the Capital with a massive tourism boost.

And in the meantime, let’s not forget just what a great place Edinburgh is to live and work in, with beautiful architecture, top attractions, fantastic shopping, Michelin-listed restaurants . . . the list goes on.

This isn’t just the best city in Scotland – it’s one of the best in the world. And it’s time to shout it from the rooftops – we are pure dead brilliant, so we are.

Five become four

today’s reshuffle plan for the UK’s Westminster constituencies has some good aims – to reduce the number of MPs and give the ones who survive a more even share of the population.

But it won’t be viewed positively by those Labour MPs who face a showdown when their two seats are knocked into one.

And one other possible change will come as a shock to many – the touted return of a Conservative MP in a city which by 2015 will have been Tory-free for 18 years.