SCOTTISH Labour members have hit out at supporters of Jeremy Corbyn for organising a promotional event for the UK leader in Edinburgh on the eve of a critical Holyrood election.
Despite Kezia Dugdale’s party trailing the SNP by over 30 per cent in the opinion polls, pro-Corbyn backers have organised a rally this week to help him win the 2020 General Election.
The #JC4PM tour is staging events around the country in a bid to drum up support for the left-wing leader.
It comes to Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre on Wednesday and features comedy, poetry and political contributions.
The blurb for the event states: “Since Jeremy Corbyn put his name forward as a potential leader, hundreds of thousands of people have joined the Labour Party. Jeremy's honest, straight-talking politics has captured the public's imagination.
“He has, however, faced daily attacks from some of the media and his political opponents. And he has responded with courage and dignity.
“To show support for Jeremy's campaign to transform the way politics is conducted, a stellar line up of comedians, singers and poets will be performing a special show compered by superstar housewife Barbara Nice.”
The line-up includes comedians Mark Steel, Jo Caulfield and Jeremy Hardy, as well as singer Charlotte Church.
Labour MSP Neil Findlay and Stop the War Coalition founding member Chris Nineham are also scheduled to speak.
So-called “premium” tickets cost £50, which includes a post show “meet and greet” with the cast and an autographed poster.
However, Scottish Labour footsoldiers are angry about the timing of the event.
One said: “At a time when we are facing an extremely difficult Holyrood election, the focus of these people should be on helping Scottish Labour. Instead, they are only thinking about 2020.”
A second member said: “It’s pretty insensitive to organise a rally for Corbyn when Kez needs all the help she can get. It looks selfish and inconsiderate.”
Questions have also been raised to this newspaper about where the money from the tour would end up.
However, Crispin Flintoff, one of the Labour figures behind the tour, said funds would be used for more events: “We are raising money to keep the tour going to 2020. We have been given some funding from Unite the Union that we need to pay back. Once we have done that, we will need to keep funds for venue hire, admin and publicity.
“We haven't discussed what we will do with funds if we get to the stage where we have more than enough in reserve but it's likely it would be towards Momentum, Stop the War, The People's Assembly, Stand up to Racism, CND and other groups who have shown support for what we are doing."
Tom Harris, a former Labour MP in Glasgow, criticised the prospect of cash going to these organisations: "It is pretty outrageous that a group of people who support the leader are supporting Labour's opponents in the Stop the War Coalition. I hope people will think twice before giving this event any money."
Thomas Docherty, a Labour candidate for Holyrood, said: "The organisers need to be clear that they are not raising money for the Labour party or Jeremy Corbyn. It is also nonsense that they may in time give money to CND and the Stop the War Coalition, which do not support the Labour Party."
Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: "With friends like these, Kezia Dugdale does not need any enemies. This sort of distraction is the last thing that the already-failing Scottish Labour campaign needs."
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