The SNP leader of Glasgow City Council has hit out at the new Labour Government after the city was “excluded” from the first meeting of Sir Keir’s Starmer’s Council of Nations and Regions.

Susan Aitken accused the Prime Minister of "shutting the door" on Glasgow.

While mayors from across England will be invited to attend, the only Scottish representatives will be the Scottish Government.

One council source pointed out that political leaders from Peterborough — which has a population roughly a seventh of Glasgow City Region’s — would be in attendance.

A Labour source hit back, saying the intervention showed that Susan Aitken “doesn’t have confidence in John Swinney to speak for Scotland’s biggest city”.

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The Prime Minister is due to hold the first meeting of the council on Friday, with mayors and leaders of the devolved administrations gathering in Edinburgh.

The summit is set to be chaired by his ousted former chief of staff, Sue Gray, in her new role as “envoy” to the nations and regions.

In a letter to Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, on behalf of the Glasgow Economic Leadership (GEL) Board, Councillor Aitken said she had only found out on Tuesday morning that the region “had been excluded”.

Susan Aitken says Starmer has 'shut the door on Glasgow'

The missive, co-signed by her co-chair, Professor Sir Jim McDonald, said: “Glasgow City Region (GCR) is a major UK metro area (fourth largest in the UK) and Scotland’s only truly metropolitan region.

“As a major UK metro area with around one-third of Scotland’s GDP, Glasgow is a leading member of the Core Cities and GCR engages extensively with other UK/English metro areas at both political and official level – and is active in international engagements such as with COP and the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership forum.”

They said the board was disappointed by the exclusion and “would greatly appreciate that it be invited in order for its distinct experience and recent successes to be shared in the spirit of collaboration".

Cllr Aitken told The Herald: “Keir Starmer and his team have talked up this new council as some sort of big reset of the UK Government’s relationship with local leaders.

"We’ve been promised change, we’ve been promised respect - but Labour’s first decision has been to shut the door on Glasgow.

“It is extraordinary. Starmer is bringing England’s local leaders to a meeting in Scotland, but not allowing any of their Scottish counterparts to join them around the table.

“Three months ago, Glasgow’s six new Labour MPs promised communities across this city that they would be at the heart of this new government. They’re not even in the same room.”

There was also criticism from Cosla, the Scottish local authority umbrella body.

A spokesperson told The Herald: “We acknowledge that a letter has been sent to the Secretary of State for Scotland seeking clarification of why Scottish Local Government was not represented on the new Council of the Nations and Regions.

"We hope for an early response and further constructive discussion with the Secretary of State over how Local Government is better represented in these discussions going forward.”

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Responding to the criticism, a UK Government spokesperson said: “The council of nations and regions is one of the many ways that the UK Government is resetting the relationship with the Scottish Government.”

A Scottish Labour source added: “The fact Susan Aitken doesn’t have confidence in John Swinney to speak for Scotland’s biggest city says a lot about the state of relations between the SNP government and their own councils.

“Scottish Labour has made the case for elected mayors in Scotland, to replicate the successful metro mayor model across England. We are delighted the SNP in Glasgow seem to now agree.”

Downing Street has said the meeting — which comes ahead of the International Investment Summit later this month — will focus on opportunities for investment.

In a statement released last week, the Prime Minister said he was “determined to bring forward a new era of stability, trust and partnership with businesses, investors, devolved governments and local leaders to boost the economy, and restore the UK’s reputation one of the best places in the world to do business”.

“No more talking shops of the past,” he added. “Genuine, meaningful and focused partnership to change the way we do business, redefine our position on the world’s stage and unlock the whole of the UK’s untapped potential to make everyone, everywhere better-off.”