AN attempt to unseat the leader of Glasgow city council has failed at the first hurdle.  

Tory councillors had hoped to force a decision on Susan Aitken's position today but the motion was struck down before it went to a vote.

A statement released on social media by Conservative group councillors earlier today read: "Glasgow needs fresh leadership. That is why the Glasgow Conservatives believe it is the right time to table this no confidence motion, ahead of the eyes of the world being on our city as world leaders arrive for COP26.

Ms Aitken was blasted by opposition politicians following an interview on STV, where she admitted Glasgow was in need of a "spruce up" ahead of COP26. 

Asked directly if she agreed the streets were “filthy”, the SNP council leader replied: “I don’t think that everywhere in the city is filthy."

The Tories attempted to attach the vote onto another item of business being heard in the City Chambers but Lord Provost Philip Braat said it was not accepting a change to the motion to include a vote on the council leader's future.

A council spokesman said: "The Lord Provost ruled that he would not accept a late material change to the motion.”

A spokesman for the SNP council group said: "For the best part of an hour the Council Leader provided context of and detailed actions to address cleansing issues in the city. She has not and has never denied Glasgow, like all cities, has faced severe challenges, both historically and as a result of the pandemic.

"As we approach normality and recovery there will be significant inroads to addressing those challenges. Clearly the Tories aren’t interested in the solutions for our city. It’s about little more than naked partisan politics and gimmicks."