UK Labour chiefs admitted it was a waste of time targeting seats in Scotland in December's General Election, it has been revealed.
A leaked document written by party strategists and circulated ahead of the vote said there was no point in increasing campaign spend north of the Border.
The “key seats strategy memo”, seen by the Courier, acknowledged the party didn’t have a chance of winning most seats in Scotland and should instead target English and Welsh constituencies.
Labour returned just one MP in the ballot – Ian Murray in Edinburgh South.
The SNP say the memo proves Richard Leonard's party is "finished".
It reads: “There is no evidence that organisational investment in Scottish seats will deliver improved electoral outcomes and there is abundant evidence from the analysis of recent general elections that spending money in contests where we are not competitive (almost all contests in Scotland) is a much less efficient way of achieving changed electoral outcomes than investing in tighter electoral contests elsewhere in Britain.”
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The document adds: “To achieve any given small percentage increase in vote share for Labour in a seat in Scotland where we are not regarded by the electorate as a serious rival to the incumbent requires a substantially larger investment of human and financial resources than in a seat in England or Wales where we are so regarded.”
The SNP said the memo is evidence that Labour are a busted flush in Scotland.
Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil told the Courier: “Labour are finished in Scotland. They are the Morris Minor of politics, people sort of remember them, occasionally fondly, but no-one will travel in them again.”
Scottish Labour have been contacted for comment.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer 'loses confidence' in branch office boss Richard Leonard
Dire polling has put Leonard under pressure, with Keir Starmer said to have "lost confidence" in the Scottish Labour leader.
A Savanta ComRes survey published last week showed the party is on track to win just 17% and 16% in the constituency and list votes respectively at next year's Holyrood election.
However, with no obvious replacement, Leonard is still expected to lead the party to another ballot box defeat.
SNP MSP David Torrance said: “Labour are a busted flush and completely out of touch with working families in Scotland.
“The party’s stance is totally incoherent. On one hand they point out the gaps in Holyrood’s powers when it comes to creating a fairer society, while on the other they stand with the Tories in opposing independence which would give Scotland these much-needed powers.
“For as long as they stick to that position, Labour are doomed to irrelevance.”
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