25.06.2008 EDINBURGH TOPS UK ECONOMY TABLE

Edinburgh has the strongest economy in the UK, outstripping even London, a report claims.

Although Edinburgh lags behind Glasgow in percentage growth, it is the UK's strongest economy with £28,432 per capita per year.

The statistics come from a report by chartered accountants, Campbell Dallas.  Experts believe it is down to the city's growing banking and insurance sectors and the Scottish Government boosting the public sector.

In addition Edinburgh has benefitted from the business embassy effect, which has seen a number of companies duplicating their headquarter functions from London to Edinburgh in a bid to get closer to their Scottish clientele.

Chris Horne, Managing Partner of Campbell Dallas, said: "As Europe's leading financial sector, London should have fared better than Edinburgh but its fairly high property prices are putting a serious dent in business earnings."

Date: 25th June 2008

Publication: BBC News