SCOTLAND'S two major cities were warned yesterday that if they tried to ''cut each others throats'' competing for conferences and investment then both would lose, and so would Scotland, writes John MacCalman, Municipal Correspondent.
Councillor Donald Anderson, convener of Edinburgh City Council's Economic Development Committee, said: ''Either Glasgow and Edinburgh work effectively together to compete internationally or they compete against each other and we lose internationally. That's what the agenda is.
''This is serious business. This is about the future prosperity of the whole country. If Glasgow and Edinburgh don't succeed together, then they'll definitely fail separately.''
Speaking at a one-day conference examining the relationship between the Scottish Parliament, local authorities and the Scottish Enterprise network, Mr Anderson described as ''counter productive'' disputes like the recent debate over the temporary location of the Scottish Parliament.
He said: ''If Edinburgh and Glasgow fight each other then we will not only be trying to cut each other's throats, we will literally cut each other's throats because we will not be able to compete effectively internationally.
''That will cost us jobs, it will cost us investment, it will cost us opportunities. And it may cost Scotland jobs, investment and opportunities as well.''
Councillor Anderson pointed out that there did exist areas of joint activity between the two cities and it was important to build on these. He cited trade missions sponsored by the Scottish Tourist Board on which alternately Glasgow and Edinburgh represented each other.
He added: ''We're not competing between Edinburgh and
Glasgow for business, we're competing with London, Paris and Amsterdam. Let's work together and do that instead of cutting each other's throats.''
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