SNP and Greens block awarding major honour to Scots army regiment

SNP and Scottish Green councillors have voted to block a motion granting the Freedom of Glasgow to the Royal Regiment of Scotland, marking the regiment's 20th anniversary.

The proposal, brought forward by Glasgow City Council Labour councillor James Adams, sought to honour the regiment's service and sacrifice while recognising the city's historic ties to the Armed Forces.

Rooted in medieval tradition, Freedom of the City is the highest civic honour, awarded by councils to individuals or military units for exceptional service or distinction.

As the highest honour a city can bestow, it recognises outstanding service and dedication and is awarded to celebrities, leaders and military units who are allowed to march through the city.

After losing 28 to 39, Labour councillors have fiercely criticised the decision, arguing it leaves Glasgow "completely out of step" with the rest of Scotland and breaks generations of tradition that acknowledge military service.

However, the SNP Glasgow Group defended the rejection, describing the honour as "inherently problematic".

Bailie Norman MacLeod, speaking for the SNP amendment, criticised the motion on procedural grounds, saying there had been no consultation with the Lord Provost’s office or with the council’s armed forces champion before the motion was tabled.

The SNP argued bestowing the city’s highest civic honour on organisations rather than individuals was "inherently problematic" and risked making the council a "hostage to fortune".

Councillor Mollingham, of the Scottish Greens, said he had no objection to recognising the contribution of the Scots battalions but argued the question of how to do so deserved proper consideration by the Lord Provost rather than resolution on the floor of a full council meeting.

The opposition means Glasgow has become the first council in Scotland to refuse the honour to the regiment, while 20 other councils have already bestowed the recognition.

Edinburgh and Aberdeen are among the councils that have granted the Freedom of the City to the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The regiment is also set to receive the Freedom of Dundee next month.

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Councillor Adams condemned the vote as "frankly shameful", accusing the SNP and Greens of turning their backs on servicemen and women with deep connections to the city.

He said: "This was a chance for Glasgow to stand united in recognising the courage, sacrifice and service of the men and women who have served our country."

He argued there was "no credible reason" to deny the regiment this recognition, adding that Glasgow now stands out "for all the wrong reasons".

Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, who previously served with the Royal Regiment of Scotland, expressed personal dismay at the council's decision.

He said: "I am ashamed by the crass refusal by Glasgow City Council to grant the Freedom of the City of Glasgow to the Regiment on its 20th anniversary."

Mr Sweeney noted hundreds of serving and former regiment members hail from Glasgow, adding: "We lost friends in Afghanistan and Iraq."

He described the vote as "tone deaf" and called on the council to reconsider its position, pointing to the widespread recognition the regiment has received from other Scottish authorities.

The Royal Regiment of Scotland was formed in March 2006, merging six single-battalion Scottish infantry regiments of the British Army.

It is the largest regiment in the British Army and recruits across Scotland, with a particular connection to Glasgow and the west of Scotland.

The regiment served in both Iraq and Afghanistan and continues to deploy on operations worldwide.