A senior Edinburgh councillor has suggested that politics played a role in the Scottish Government’s response following the Princes Street fire last month.
Speaking to reporters after Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth pledged £5m for the city’s recovery efforts, City of Edinburgh Council leader Jane Meagher said she was “very disappointed".
Councillor Meagher said: “I think it's a disappointing signifier of the esteem, if you like, or the importance that Edinburgh has over Glasgow. And it's hard not to think that it might be political.”
Asked to clarify what she meant, the Labour council leader said: “Well, if you look at where the support for the Scottish National Party lies, I think that answers your question."
The Glasgow electoral region returned 7 SNP MSPs in May, compared to three for the Scottish Greens, three for Labour, and two for Reform.
By comparison, voters in the Edinburgh and Lothians East electoral region returned five SNP MSPS (including three in East Lothian) compared to four for the Scottish Greens, three for Labour, two for the Liberal Democrats, and one each for the Conservatives and Reform UK.
Following a serious fire on Union Street in Glasgow in March 2026, government ministers announced a £10m funding pot within a week of the blaze.
By contrast, the government did not publicly comment on the Princes Street fire until July 28, nineteen days after the incident took place.
Councillor Meagher said: “I'm disappointed that Glasgow seems to be more highly valued in a sense than we are. But we are where we are. I'm grateful that we've got some money and we'll use it to serve the city of Edinburgh.”
The Labour councillor also criticised First Minister John Swinney for not responding to a letter sent to him requesting help on July 17.
“I wrote to the First Minister immediately following the fire and asked for a meeting and got no response,” she told reporters.
“I sent a reminder or a further request for a meeting and that eventually resulted in the Deputy First Minister coming.
“I mean, I welcome her presence here,” Councillor Meagher added.
“I'm extremely disappointed that the First Minister chose not to respond. You know, Edinburgh is the capital city. of this country. Edinburgh, equally importantly, is a driver of the Scottish economy.
“And if we don't get the attention that we deserve from the first minister of this country, I think that's shameful.
Speaking after the funding announcement, Ms Gilruth defended the actions of the Scottish Government, saying that negotiations had taken place behind the scenes.
She said: “We've been working really closely with them since that time [July 17]. This has been a constant programme of engagement between my officials and between Edinburgh Council officials in relation to the support they wanted.
“And they were very specific about the support they wanted for local businesses and for making sure that building was kept safe.”
Ever since the blaze four weeks ago, trams have been unable to serve the north and east of the city due to the closure of Princes Street.
Business owners along the tram line have spoken out about a corresponding drop in footfall in recent weeks, with one award-winning chef based in Leith saying revenue at his seafood restaurant had declined by 60%.
Ms Gilruth added: “A lot of things are going to take a lot longer. I think we have been able to make progress at relative pace, and I hear the challenge, but giving that assurance today is allowing the council to move forward and continue to engage with them over additional support that might be required.”
Councillor Meagher said she was “disappointed” by the government’s offer.
She remarked: “The announcement came very rapidly. There had been some fairly brief negotiations between civil servants and council officers.
“I have to be positive in the sense that the Scottish Government, the Deputy First Minister is open to further conversation. So let's see how we get on. Let's see how we go.”
The Herald understands that council officials and civil servants worked together in developing the funding package, and that the local authority had asked for a sum in the range of £5m.
Read more:
- Scottish Government finally confirms £5m funding for Edinburgh following blaze
- Jenny Gilruth defends Scottish Government's response to Princes Street fire
- 'Painstaking' work being carried out to secure fire-hit building on Princes Street
Ms Gilruth was keen to draw contrasts between the fire on Union Street in Glasgow and the more recent conflagration, denying that political expediency had anything to do with the government’s decision making.
She said: “In relation to the length of time it's taken, I have to say we have been really closely engaged with officials in Edinburgh Council throughout this time period.
“We've been working with them about what they need and the approach we've taken here is quite different to the approach that was taken in Glasgow.
“Glasgow City Council had to demolish a building, and there is a very different set of circumstances in terms of businesses closing. That's not what's happened here.
“However, there was still a need for financial certainty. Edinburgh Council were keen to have an approach that allowed them to use the funding to channel it into a wider business campaign, to channel it into support for taking down some of that building, but also making the most large part of it safe.”
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