Labour has been accused of "desperation" over bussing in staff from London to work on the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

In an email seen by the Daily Record, the UK-wide party encouraged all staff to campaign in the constituency, with the party offering to “cover all travel to Rutherglen, accommodation, and travel either back to London or on to Liverpool for Labour Party Conference".

The SNP said the move showed Labour's "desperation" and claimed they are "failing" to get their message across to voters.

The by-election is due to take place in just three weeks and political activity is expected to ramp up nearer the time.

The email, sent from UK Labour to party staff, said: "Staff who have time off or are on leave in the days ahead of and including the 5th October, the Labour Party would strongly encourage you to support the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

"This is a crucial by-election that can show Labour is once again challenging in Scotland and we need as many volunteers as possible.

"The party will cover all travel to Rutherglen, accommodation, and travel either back to London or on to Liverpool for Labour Party Conference if you are attending.”

Labour have had a sizeable campaigning presence on the ground for some time and the email shows the resource they are committing to winning the seat from the SNP.

SNP MP David Linden said the email showed Labour is "failing" to convince voters.

He said: "Labour's desperation is starting to show. No matter how hard they try to sell Sir Keir Starmer's' Tory-lite agenda to voters via staff from London, they are still failing.

"With neither Labour or the Tories offering an alternative to Westminster’s cost of living crisis, the SNP will continue to take our positive plans for a fairer, wealthier, greener Scotland to households across Rutherglen and Hamilton West."

The Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election will take place on October 5.

Labour is the current favourite, with the party hoping to win back a seat it held between 2017 and 2019.

A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “The Labour Party, like all responsible employers, pay for travel and accommodation for their workers. This is standard practice.”

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