THE leader of Glasgow City Council says she fought against level four restrictions - but now backed their need. 

Susan Aitken has revealed she argued the case for the city to remain in level three of Scotland's tiered system, meaning pubs, restaurants, and gyms could all remain open. 

Instead, Glasgow will join 10 other council areas in being placed under even more limitations from Friday at 6pm. 

Coronavirus Scotland: The best comments as Glasgow reacts to level four covid 'lockdown'

The restrictions will be in place for three weeks and will also see the closure of libraries and museums. 

Writing in the Glasgow Times, Ms Aitken, a Langside councillor, says she disagreed with the need to place the city into level four. 

Ms Aitken wrote: "The move into Level Four had been widely anticipated, particularly given that warnings in recent days had indicated it was increasingly likely. 

"But that doesn’t take away that sense of disappointment and despair that ordinary Glaswegians and city businesses will feel. 

"On a personal level, three weeks of additional curbs on how and where I can meet my parents, relatives and friends is genuinely gutting. But I know that for many residents and employers this is beyond difficult. It is not the outcome I wanted or argued for. But I understand fully why that decision had to be taken."

She added: "I made clear to the Scottish Government in the build up to this decision that support for city businesses had to be made available to the stage when they can confidently reopen. 

Coronavirus: Nicola Sturgeon confirms Glasgow put into level four covid lockdown from Friday

"Some will be impacted much more severely by the restrictions than others, so flexibility will be required.

"I told ministers I believed an open-ended Level Four would increase the economic and social harm of the past eight months and risked creating major problems around compliance and enforcement. It is some comfort to know that we have an end date of December 11th." 

You can read Ms Aitken's full column here