“You’re going to see plenty of me”: Corbyn pledges to extend Labour gains in Scotland
LABOUR LEADER JEREMY CORBYN has ratcheted up the new left-wing dividing lines in Scottish politics with a pledge to focus on revitalising Labour support north of the border.
Welcoming the party’s seven Scottish MPs who won seats in the June snap election, Corbyn claimed that momentum would lead Labour onto further gains at any future election.
Labour, which had almost been wiped out in Scotland two years ago, experienced a late ‘Corbyn surge’ before polling day – enough to win seats in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, and the Lothians from the SNP. While Labour increased its support by 2.8 per cent, this was still lower than the increase in England.
“Labour’s back in Scotland, and we’re going to be back in even bigger number as soon as the next election comes.” Jeremy Corbyn
With new colleagues by the Thames, Corbyn said: “Labour’s back in Scotland, and we’re going to be back in even bigger number as soon as the next election comes. And it will not be long. I’ll be in Scotland plenty of times. You’re going to see plenty of me. I love Scotland. And I love the Labour traditions in Scotland that we’re going to win back.
“And all those young people that came on board – some voting for the first time – they voted for hope. We deliver hope. We also deliver community unity. It’s not young v old. It’s young and old coming together for a decent society that gives space for the young and security for the old.”
“We need to win these voters back and we might not have long to do it.” SNP’s Tommy Sheppard MP
A further nine Westminster seats fall within a five per cent SNP-Labour swing, that could be vulnerable if another General Election is called in the near future.
Tommy Sheppard MP, on the left of the SNP, has called for “a radical review of how we do things” to ensure that the party wins the campaign for left-minded voters in Scotland. “There is no doubt that a Corbyn surge was responsible for many people who had voted SNP in 2015 deciding to lend their vote to Labour this time,” he explained in an online message to supporters.
“As a result not only did we lose seats to Labour but most of the ones we held are now Labour/SNP marginals. We need to win these voters back and we might not have long to do it. In my view this means our priority should be to focus on our left flank and take the battle to Labour in Scotland. The SNP is Scotland’s radical voice. We need to assert that.”
The Tories are trying to confirm a majority pact with the Northern Irish DUP – however it is unclear how stable the small parliamentary majority will be, and whether a further General Election will have to be called.
Picture courtesy of Screenshot/Scottish Labour live
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