WHAT an incredible show Glasgow has put on with the UCI Cycling World Championships.  

On Sunday our city was again in the international spotlight, hosting a truly world-class event in front of a global audience of millions. Glasgow, of course, rose to the occasion and didn’t disappoint.  

The 190,000 who gathered for the Men’s Elite Road Race along the gruelling 14km city circuit won’t forget the thrill and privilege of watching some of the greatest cyclists in the history of the sport slog it out on our streets.

The skill, bravery and endurance of the riders was truly breathtaking and the drama right to the end was magnificent.  

Glasgow knows a thing or two about sport. Our city is unique in having been twice named European Capital of Sport.

And we know even more about providing amazing support as the past week has proven.

The Glasgow crowds created a brilliant atmosphere at the weekend with their numbers, enthusiasm and volume, spurring the riders on and creating a new landmark in world cycling – Montrose Street.  

In the build-up to the championships, there have been some questions around Glasgow’s suitability for staging a huge event like this.

That’s to be expected in most cities hosting something global.   

But on Sunday, and indeed throughout the championships, Glasgow has provided a stunning backdrop to the events we’ve staged.

I’m sure I speak for many Glaswegians when I say how proud I was of the images of Glasgow beamed across the world, our stunning cityscape surpassed only by the passion of the spectators.    

A great deal of planning goes into an event like UCI and along with the Chamber of Commerce, we’ve engaged extensively with businesses in the build-up.

There’s always, however, going to be some disruption and I’d encourage any business impacted to contact our teams via the Get Ready Glasgow website and they’ll respond as soon as possible.   

But, when our city centre has been hit hard by the economic shocks of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, the vibrancy and general busyness on display in recent days has been fantastic to see.  

Glasgow is really good at this stuff.

In recent decades we’ve shown repeatedly our ability to successfully host big events, from UCI to the Banksy exhibition to COP26.   

Like those who are lining up hundreds of millions of pounds in investment in Glasgow, they keep coming back because our city is a great place to be.

And because we work very hard to attract and secure them.  

Beyond the immediate spend within the city during the championships, UCI helps maintain Glasgow’s international profile and the interest in our city which comes with that.

In a world where Brexit has made the job of promoting UK cities so much more difficult, that’s profile our peers and competitors would bite our hands off for.  

And while cycling competitors take their chances for medals and world records and fans enjoy a wonderful summer of sport, the council has an opportunity to continue changing our great city for the better.   

As we target unprecedented investment in active travel, these championships can help us find another gear in our push to become a healthier, more active and better connected city.  

So, in the days remaining, enjoy yourself and your city and whether it’s on the road, on the track, or wherever you are watching, make sure they hear you!  

TORY home secretary Suella Braverman wants to house hundreds of asylum seekers in grim and inhumane conditions on the River Clyde.  

Following her failed attempts to fly those seeking sanctuary in the UK to camps in Rwanda, Ms Braverman is forcing asylum seekers onto huge barges in several locations across the UK. 

Earlier this week, the first asylum seekers were moved onto a barge off the south coast of England.   

Described by Amnesty International as akin to floating Victorian prisons, Ms Braverman now wants other areas to follow suit, with the Home Office exploring the potential of a site in Glasgow.  

But they have been told in no uncertain terms that Glasgow does not and will not support this cruel approach to often vulnerable and traumatised people.  

Last year, as an emergency response to the war in Ukraine, refugees were housed in a cruise ship on the Clyde. But let’s be clear. These things are a world away from each other.  

While that situation was in no way ideal, Ukrainian refugees have very different rights from asylum seekers – they have the right to work, to stay with volunteer hosts and to come and go as they pleased.  

But asylum seekers kept on these barges are forced to live in detention-like conditions where they will be kept for long periods of time with little or no access to anything but basic support.  

Unsurprisingly, Labour, the party which introduced the legislation denying asylum seekers access to many benefits in the first place, have confirmed they will continue to use barges if they are elected at Westminster.   

Again, in pursuit of Tory votes, Sir Keir Starmer just shrugs his shoulders and claims there’s nothing Labour can do.  

Well, in Glasgow we treat asylum seekers with dignity and respect, even if we do so with Westminster tying our hands behind our backs.  

We are proud of our record of supporting and integrating asylum seekers and of the contribution they have made to our city. 
And we will do all we can to prevent human beings being treated in such a callous way in our city.