Labour has made an “urgent appeal” to party members in the North of England to come and campaign in tomorrow’s Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.
The plea was mocked by the SNP, who said it was a clear sign the party were “rattled” ahead of the vote.
Labour dismissed the criticism, saying it was no surprise that Labour activists were taking part in a Labour campaign in a crunch by-election.
READ MORE: Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election: Everything you need to know
The email sent to party members said: “This is an urgent appeal. We're on the verge of a huge moment on the path back towards the next Labour government.
“Our Scottish Labour neighbours have just 48 hours left until polling day in the Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election. A victory against the SNP would be monumental.
“Will you be on the Yorkshire & the Humber Labour Party’s coach from Leeds to Rutherglen and volunteer on Thursday? We need you on board.”
Yorkshire and the Humber Labour Party members were invited to jump on the bus “to support the Scottish Labour team as they get out the vote in Rutherglen and Hamilton West”.
Activists were told they would leave Leeds at 10am and then be back on the road at 8pm.
READ MORE: Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election: Who are the candidates?
The SNP MP David Linden said: “If ever there was a sure sign the pro-Brexit, pro-austerity Labour Party is rattled in the closing hours of an election, it is bussing up Yorkshire and the Humber Labour members from Leeds on Labour's dime.
“It’s clear Labour members in their party's Scottish branch office cannot bring themselves to sell Keir Starmer’s Tory-lite agenda to people in Scotland suffering Westminster’s cost of living crisis.
“The by-election tomorrow is a chance for people across Rutherglen and Hamilton West to elect an SNP MP who will stand up for them, ensure Scotland's voice is heard, and fight for the cost of living support Westminster must finally deliver."
Labour declined to comment, but a source pointed out that earlier in the day, the SNP had accused them of being complacent, and now they were accusing them of being rattled.
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