John McDonnell: Scots voters can play key role in Labour election win

SCOTTISH voters could play a key role in securing a Labour victory at the next general election, the shadow chancellor John McDonnell has suggested.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell, was speaking at an event for party members before campaigning in the marginal seat of Motherwell and Wishaw. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

The party, which won seven seats north of the border in June’s snap ballot, is eyeing up to 18 marginal seats currently held by the SNP.

Labour has remained on a campaign footing since the vote, with leader Jeremy Corbyn touring marginal seats across the country, including several north of the border.

Mr McDonnell was speaking at an event for party members before campaigning in the marginal seat of Motherwell and Wishaw.

He said: “Labour is campaigning in key marginals across Scotland. At the next general election, whenever it is called, it can be Scotland that gets the Tories out and delivers a UK Labour government for the many.

“All across Scotland people are responding to Labour’s positive message on the economy. We are the real anti-austerity alternative for Scotland.

“Our policies will deliver an additional £3 billion for public services in Scotland which, alongside a national investment bank, means we will finally break from the failed experiment of austerity and invest instead.

“Scottish Labour’s industrial strategy is a serious plan for jobs, workers’ rights and economic growth.”

He added: “The Tories and the SNP have both run out of ideas - only Labour can deliver the radical change Scotland needs.”

Mr McDonnell’s visit to Scotland comes ahead of Mr Corbyn’s run of campaign events later in the month.

The Labour leader is aiming to speak to thousands of voters in seats where SNP MPs have wafer-thin majorities.

Of the 64 seats his party needs to win to secure a parliamentary majority, 18 - more than a quarter - are in Scotland.