Edinburgh scores highly in the new PWC Good Growth for Cities Index and although it doesn’t gloss over problems, it’s a PR stunt which masks SNP failure to invest enough in the big cities, writes John McLellan.

There’s no shortage of surveys and league tables which put Edinburgh up there with the best. Homemove: best UK city in which to live. The Resonance Consultancy: the 18th most liveable city in Europe. ECA International: the most liveable UK city.

A perfect blend of history, said Homemove. Strong job market, reasonable costs, world-class amenities. Culture, education, and good old liveability. Wow. What a place. And GDP per head is now ahead of London, says the ONS. This week it was PWC’s turn, the accountancy and business consultancy giant’s annual Good Growth for Cities Index putting the capital second, behind spotless York, for “a strong performance across economic and social indicators.”

These reports usually smack of public relations exercises, and the PWC study looks little more than a chat with council economic development officers and a consolidation of already available data, than anything more rigorous. Maybe that’s unfair. These publications do perform a function beyond raising the profile of the organising company, sparking discussion and providing some sort of benchmark.

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But the most obvious health warning for the PWC approach is naming Aberdeen........

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