The deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives Meghan Gallacher has launched a fierce attack on the SNP, labelling Glasgow the “asylum capital of the UK” and accusing the nationalist government of creating a housing crisis through “virtue-signalling policies.”

The shadow housing secretary attributed the surge in homelessness directly to the Scottish Government’s 2022 decision to scrap the local connection rule.

The scale of the influx is laid bare in statistics obtained by the Scottish Conservatives through freedom of information requests.

During 2022-23, merely 35 individuals lacking any connection to a Scottish local authority submitted homeless applications to Glasgow City Council, with 22 originating from outside Scotland and 13 from beyond the UK.

This figure exploded to 1,290 the following year, representing a staggering 3,585 per cent increase. Of these, 356 came from elsewhere in Scotland while 934 had no ties to any UK council.

Speaking to GB News she said: “There has been a 500 per cent increase in the number of people coming into various communities in Scotland most notably Glasgow, which has become the asylum capital of the UK.

“What we are saying is that this is the result of SNP virtue-signalling policies, such as the removal of the local connection rule in 2022.

“That change has allowed many people to move into specific communities, placing significant strain on infrastructure and public services.

“We know that people are arriving from across the UK and of course there are also illegal migrants coming to Scotland.

“Many are heading to major cities and towns in search of housing.

“The problem is that there simply isn’t enough housing available.

“That is widely recognised, and it is why Scotland has had to declare a housing emergency.

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“What we need to do now is ensure that we are building more homes.

“That is why today we are announcing plans to build 80,000 homes by 2031.”

This figure exploded to 1,290 the following year, representing a staggering 3,585 per cent increase.

Of these, 356 came from elsewhere in Scotland while 934 had no ties to any UK council.

The trend has shown no signs of abating. Between 2024-25 and the current financial year, an additional 2,089 applications have been lodged by people from outside Scotland, comprising 522 from other parts of the UK and 1,567 from overseas.

The financial toll on Glasgow has been severe. The city council now faces a £66million overspend on homelessness services, a burden officials have attributed largely to UK Home Office decisions and procedures.

Glasgow declared a housing emergency in November 2023, six months before the Scottish Government made its own nationwide declaration in May 2024.

Council sources indicate discussions are ongoing with both the Scottish and UK governments about securing financial assistance.

One councillor told the Herald that tens of millions of pounds would be required.