Labour has been accused of using the death of an SNP councillor to “try and garner votes” in a Glasgow by-election.
Voters in the city’s Drumchapel and Anniesland ward are due to go to the polls on November 21, after Patricia Ferguson, the sitting councillor, resigned following her election to Westminster.
However, a video has emerged of Labour councillor erroneously telling a voter that the by-election had been triggered after the incumbent died.
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In an exchange captured on a doorbell camera, and shared on X, Imran Alam, can be 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 the 21st November.”
Cllr Alam may have confused the election of his Labour colleague with the death of a veteran SNP councillor.
Kenny McLean, who had represented Partick East and Kelvindale and its predecessor seat since 2007, died at the end of September.
The by-election to replace him has not yet been called.
Labour's candidate in Drumchapel and Anniesland is Davena Rankin. She was previously the Conservative candidate in the Glasgow East by-election in 2008, campaigning with then party leader David Cameron.
A year earlier she stood for the Tories in Cathcart for the Holyrood seat at the Scottish elections.
Dr Rankin joined Labour in 2011 after she said she could not support the cuts being forced on families by the coalition government.
An SNP Group Spokesperson 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."
Labour did not respond to requests for a comment.
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