Labour isn’t celebrating yet

Sir, – I have always been a great believer that the pen is mightier than the sword. I still hold that view despite the heroics of Penny Mordaunt at the King’s coronation last Saturday.

It is for that reason I must respond to Campbell Gunn’s article about Labour’s chances at the next General Election (Labour is being a bit premature in trying to celebrate its big “comeback” in Scotland, P&J, May 8).

Let me reassure Campbell and your readers that not one single person within Labour is celebrating a predicted comeback. What we are doing is working hard on the ground to show people the difference between what a party based on social justice versus a party built on the one-trick pony of independence can do given that opportunity.

It appears from Campbell’s article that he is reliant on the SNP sorting out the ferries, stopping the scandals and tackling issues that have got away from them, such as the deposit return scheme and, of course, mental health promises. The fact is, if the SNP could not sort these problems out when they were on a high, they have no chance of sorting them out when they are on a low.

It is evident Campbell must have consulted Gillian Sturgeon, sister of our former first minister, who looked into her crystal ball and came out with the immortal lines of SNP could hold the balance of power at the next election.

This is fantasy politics such as I saw and heard under former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. It is just not going to happen. Labour’s stated position is no deal – no deals with the SNP nationalists, not now, not ever.

Scottish Labour has still a long way to go, but under Starmer and Sarwar, with Rayner and Baillie playing excellent roles of support, we are getting back our credibility, so much so that the records show, the last test of public opinion in Aberdeen resulted in a Labour win in the Bucksburn, Dyce and Danestone by-election. As Campbell said: “Game on” Willie Young, Aberdeen.