I believe that at the heart of town and city centre regeneration is a place-based approach, which involves bringing all partners to the table. Businesses of all kinds—retail, hospitality and leisure—are key to vibrant and dynamic city centres, as are local authorities, economic development departments, chambers of commerce and government. We have taken that partnership approach through the city centre recovery task force and the Government’s continued engagement with other partners. Glasgow is a dynamic and thriving city with a huge amount to offer. Anyone who walks around Glasgow will see that, although it faces the challenges that many city centres face due to the changing nature of retail, its potential is boundless.

All of us in the Parliament have a duty to talk up our city and town centres and not talk them down to make cheap political points.