Cost of policing COP26 in Glasgow 'could exceed £200m'

Head of Police Scotland says UN climate gathering will mean 'acute operational demands'

The cost of policing the UN climate conference in Glasgow this November could exceed 200m, according to Scotland's chief constable, who said it was "fanciful" to suggest that hosting one of the largest events ever staged in the UK would not have an impact on the wider community.

Iain Livingstone, the head of Police Scotland, told a board meeting of the Scottish Police Authority on Friday that accommodation for officers alone - many of whom will be drafted from forces in England and Wales - could cost "tens of millions".