Gordon Matheson, the leader of Glasgow City Council, said his heart went out to the families affected. He also praised the response of ordinary people in the area before the emergency services arrived. He said: "People who were in the pub, the people who were in the streets and who just helped out their fellow human beings who were out having a good time. "It's Glasgow at its best you know, if people are in need the spontaneous response is to go to their help. And I want to pay great tribute to that and I'm very proud as leader of the city that that was the reaction. It doesn't surprise me."
Labour leader Ed Miliband described the crash as an "unimaginable horror". He added: "I know there will be lots of people worried about their loved ones who are unaccounted for and my thoughts are with them and also with the people of Glasgow who are an incredibly strong people, who showed, I think last night, in their reaction when the helicopter hit, a great bravery, a great courage, great calm in the midst of all this."