ONE Scottish Labour candidate has committed a cardinal sin of politics, and confirmed what everyone knew to be true.
Refusing to confirm facts is a baseline of political discourse. That’s why, for example, Labour are flatly refusing to say GB Energy will be based in Aberdeen, when everyone all but knows it will be.
It’s also why Anas Sarwar has repeatedly insisted his party has no coalition agreements with the Tories on Scottish councils across the country, despite Tory votes propping up multiple Labour administrations.
The world of shady backroom deals and pacts between opposing parties is supposed to remain in those shady backrooms.
That way, although everyone may suspect that politicians are up to some business they’re not telling the public about, it won’t be anything more than suspicions. Certainly nothing you can print.
But Tauqeer Malik, Scottish Labour’s candidate in Aberdeen South – SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn’s constituency, has gone and confirmed what we all know: Labour are not even trying to win some Scottish seats.
In doorbell camera footage shared exclusively with The National, Malik explains that his party did not bother attempting to win Aberdeen South in 2019 – in order to help the Tories.
“The reason is we want to get rid of SNP,” he told one voter.
But what was meant for one voter’s ears – watch the video and see the way Malik steps in close and lowers his voice before revealing the bombshell – has now been heard by thousands. Labour will not be happy.
But all Malik has done is confirm what we already knew. The Labour tactic of leaving some seats well alone and hoping the Tories beat the SNP for them is there for all to see.
Why else would they have parachuted in a paper candidate from Canterbury to stand in Angus and Perthshire Glens – where everyone knows it’s a straight fight between the Tories and SNP?
And why on earth else would Labour’s campaign website direct people living in Shetland to go and campaign in the Western Isles instead?
It’s because they’ve given up on seats across Scotland. For Labour, there is simply no point campaigning in Shetland, or Moray, or Skye. They will let the LibDems and Tories fight the SNP there for them.
Because, for Labour, a Unionist victory is enough to claim that independence has been put to bed. To them, it doesn’t much matter which of the No-supporting parties wins in Scottish seats.
Keir Starmer will, after all, have an historic Westminster majority come July 5 whatever happens in Scotland.
But if the SNP win in Scotland, he’ll have to face uncomfortable facts about how roughly 50% of people north of the Border really feel about independence.
And, as we know, confirming facts is not something politicians like to do.
