SCOTTISH Labour are standing 25 council candidates who have signalled for support independence or Indyref2, according to reports.

The development comes just weeks after the party's leader Anas Sarwar said all his local government election hopefuls would have to support the Union.

However, it has now emerged that more than two dozen of Labour candidates have either explicitly backed independence or a second independence referendum.

READ MORE: Scottish Labour candidates must support the Union, says Anas Sarwar

Seven of those standing to become Labour councillors have made explicit pro-independence comments in recent years, while a further 10 have made comments which appear to indicate their support for separation and a further eight have backed a second referendum, the Daily Mail reported today.

But Scottish Labour has insisted that the majority of the candidates have now told party chiefs that they support Scotland’s place in the UK and back Labour’s position on the constitution.

READ MORE: Susan Aitken: Labour are very foolish to rule out a deal with the SNP

The report came days after one poll found that the Tories were trailing in third place behind the SNP and Labour in the local government elections which take place on May 5.

It also comes as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is due to make his first visit to Scotland of the local election campaign today.

The report was seized by the Scottish Conservatives on to argue that pro-UK supporters should back their party next month.

The Tories have seen its support plummet in the wake of the Partygate scandal surrounding the Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the cost of living crisis.

Scottish Conservative MSP Annie Wells said: “There are dozens of Labour candidates in this election who are either pro-independence or pro-referendum.  

“They promised no pro-independence candidates would be standing but there’s indisputable evidence that many Labour candidates are in favour of breaking up Britain. 

READ MORE: Scottish Labour would beat Tories to take second place in Holyrood behind SNP, poll shows

“Labour are already in coalition with the SNP in six councils across Scotland right now. After May's election, if they have the chance, they’ll do a dodgy deal with the nationalists again. 

"Anas Sarwar has said it's up to the Labour executive committee to decide if coalition deals should go ahead – and that same group previously backed six Labour-SNP council coalition deals. 

“If you vote Labour in May, you’re likely to get SNP. Only by voting Scottish Conservative can you guarantee that all of the focus will be on your local priorities – and not Nicola Sturgeon's priorities." 

Among those to express strong pro-independence views, broadcaster Tom Morton, a Labour candidate for Shetland Council, who said in 2017: "It’s got to be at least two years until the next independence referendum, and it has got to be won. I will be voting Yes."

READ MORE: Donations to Scottish Labour hit £1 million under Anas Sarwar leadership

In December 2019, Falkirk South candidate Euan Stainbank, who "likes" groups including Labour for Scottish Independence, Still Yes Scotland and Yes Oban Youth on Facebook, said on Twitter: ‘As a former No campaigner as of 24 hours ago I will be voting and probably campaign for Yes in any Indy Ref’. 

Clackmannanshire Central candidate Carolynne Hunter said last May that she is "for indy" and added that "we need to depart from Westminster".

Last year, Mary Bain Lockhart, who is standing for the Fife Council seat of Lochgelly, Cardenden and Benarty, described herself on Facebook as a ‘non-Nationalist who supports independence’

Irvine East candidate Nairn McDonald warned in November 2020 that Labour would ‘become irrelevant’ if it opposed a referendum for another term of Holyrood. 

A series of other Labour candidates have said they voted Yes in 2014, ‘like’ a series of pro-independence pages on Facebook or have indicated sympathy for the independence cause. 

After being alerted to the comments by the Mail, Scottish Labour insisted that 21 of the 25 candidates had ‘confirmed today they support Scotland’s place in the UK and support Labour’s position on the constitution’. 

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: ‘The Scottish Labour Party believes in Scotland’s place in a reformed United Kingdom.

"While the scandal ridden Tories act as recruiting sergeants for Nicola Sturgeon’s obsession with seperation, Labour is the only party that can beat the SNP. Convincing people who supported Scottish independence to support the UK is the only way to end the divisive politics of nationalism.’