Scottish Labour has issued a stark warning over a "horrifying" explosion in rat sightings across the country, directly linking the crisis to years of deep cuts to local authority cleansing budgets.
A Nationwide Rodent Surge
Exclusive data obtained by the party through Freedom of Information requests paints a grim picture. Councils across Scotland recorded a total of 19,752 complaints about rats in the last year. This figure represents a dramatic 35% increase compared to the number of reports logged in the 2021/22 period.
Glasgow Bears the Brunt
The problem is most acute in Scotland's largest city. Glasgow accounted for more than half of all national complaints, with 10,840 reports in 2024/25. This is a staggering 50% rise from the 7,215 complaints made in the city just a few years earlier in 2021/22.
Labour connects this rodent infestation directly to reduced spending on keeping streets clean. The party highlights that investment in street cleaning has fallen by 34% since 2010/11. Public satisfaction reflects this decline, hitting a record low last year. Only 57% of Scots were happy with street cleaning nationally, and in Glasgow, that figure plummeted to just 37%.
Political Blame Game Erupts
Labour's local government spokesman, Mark Griffin, launched a fierce attack on the SNP government, accusing it of "failing on the basics." He stated: "There has been a horrifying rise in rat sightings as SNP cuts to councils hit cleansing budgets. Glasgow is a world-class city but we can all see how badly it is being let down."
Griffin added that the SNP was "leaving us with litter on the streets and rats running riot" and promised a Scottish Labour government would implement a fair funding mechanism for councils.
However, Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee branded Labour's claims "incorrect." He hit back, stating: "Councils were given a record £15 billion this year to meet local needs. The local finance settlement is up by 50% since 2013/14." He concluded that funding for waste services was a matter for local authorities, not the Scottish Government.
