SCOTTISH Labour is to draft in half a dozen campaign lieutenants as it mounts its last stand to save its symbolic citadel of Glasgow.
The party hierarchy has released around £20,000 to recruit what has been described as "mobilisation assistants" to shore up its bid to retain the city where it has held power for all but a few of the past 70 years.
Insiders have told The Herald the move is an indication that “Labour is up for the fight in Glasgow” and the resources were the first tranche in a series of investments set to be ploughed into the city ahead of the May 4 local elections.
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There have also been accusations from within Scottish Labour that the SNP may be over-reaching by fielding so many candidates in Glasgow prompting claims the voting system - single transferable vote - could see their strategy backfire.
But one prominent Labour figure dismissed the move as “desperate measures”, adding it pointed to a serious shortage of activists willing to pound the campaign trail in the next few months.
The SNP is widely predicted to wrest control of Glasgow in May, having won the last six by-elections in the city.
It has also been claimed that the Scottish Labour hierarchy has given up on winning Glasgow and will pour resources into other areas where it believes it has a better chance of success or forming coalition administrations.
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But one source said: “We’re up for the fight and this is just the first of considerable resources coming in.
"Of course we’re aware the SNP are in a strong position.
"We can do the figures.
“But if Labour is polling 15 per cent across the country, in Glasgow we’re finding its easily in the 30s.
"Our core vote is there and holding up.
"All isn’t lost and there’s a feeling the SNP are being over ambitious.”
The source added: “There’s huge importance in terms of wider morale about Glasgow.
"It was never going to be given up without a fight and those organising in Glasgow have made that case.”
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According to the job advert, the successful candidates would be required “to assist in recruiting, mobilising and organising volunteers for campaigning activities in local Labour Parties”, communicate all campaign activities and events, run social media platforms and provide training to others to take on similar roles.
They will also require “knowledge of the Labour Party, its policies, principles and organisation”, have an understanding of campaign techniques and “good organisational skills and attention to detail”.
In the 2012 local elections, when the party romped to an unexpected victory, it invited experienced campaigners from outwith Glasgow to run its campaign.
But one figure said: “Basically what we have is donors’ funding released by the general secretary to pay for campaigners because we just don’t have enough activists on the ground to get the vote out.
“We’re in desperate times and people do and say desperate things and the figures are pointing to the SNP winning as much as 50 seats (from 85).”
A Glasgow SNP spokesman said: “It’s no secret that Glasgow Labour has a desperate shortage of activists due to its unpopularity and recent electoral defeats. Simply paying for activists does not win elections. Campaign strategies and principles do.”
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