LABOUR have been accused of using an SNP councillor’s death to “try and garner votes” in an upcoming Glasgow by-election.
Voters in the Drumchapel and Anniesland ward will go to the polls on November 21 after Patricia Ferguson, the sitting councillor, resigned after her election to Westminster in the Glasgow West seat.
However, The Herald now reports that a video has emerged of a Labour councillor telling a voter the by-election had been triggered following the incumbent’s death.
Imran Alam, a councillor for Govan, was captured on a doorbell camera where he was heard saying: “An election’s happening in November for local council elections. One of the local councillors for the area has passed away.
“So we’re having a by-election on November 21.”
It is possible that Alam was confusing the election of his Labour colleague with the death of an SNP councillor.
Kenny McLean had represented Partick East and Kelvindale and its predecessor seat since 2007.
He died at the end of September but the by-election to replace him has not yet been called.
Labour’s candidate in Drumchapel and Anniesland is Davena Rankin, who was previously the Tory candidate in the Glasgow East by-election in 2008, campaigning with the party’s then-leader David Cameron.
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council’s SNP group said: “At best, this is a Labour councillor who doesn’t know where he is campaigning.
“At worst, it is a cynical use of the death of one of our colleagues to try and garner votes.
“The by-election due to the passing of Cllr McLean has not even been called yet. Perhaps they wanted to avoid conversations with voters about Patricia Ferguson’s voting record and the fact that their candidate used to be a Tory.”
Rankin also previously stood to be an MSP for the Tories in Cathcart at the Scottish election in 2007.
She joined Labour in 2011 after she said she wouldn’t support cuts being forced on families by the coalition government.
The National has approached Scottish Labour for further comment.
