Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has raised the dramatic prospect of the party winning back the SNP stronghold of Dundee.
The MSP listed areas he had thought would be a push too far just months or even weeks ago.
But buoyed by astonishing polls for UK Labour leader Keir Starmer in recent days, the party is now setting sights on tougher constituencies.
“What we’re seeing across the country is an increase in support Labour in this election campaign,” he said.
“That’s partly to make sure we get rid of this Tory government, but also because if want change you have to vote for it.”
But there will be big swings required where the SNP are strong.
“There’s no doubt we are persuading more people across the country,” he added.
“That includes places like Glasgow, Edinburgh, Lanarkshire, Fife, in Dundee and in Aberdeen. We’ve still got 27 days of persuasion to do and if we can maximise the number of people we’re persuading over those days there are lots of seats that are in play.”
Mr Sarwar was in Dundee on Thursday, campaigning in a city which once voted in droves for Labour.
That all changed in the past 20 years. The SNP have dominated at every level of government since, and the city recorded the highest Yes vote for independence in 2014.
Boundaries have changed for this election where voters locally are split between two constituencies – Dundee Central, and Arbroath and Broughty Ferry.
According to polls, Dundee is still a massive challenge.
Based on 2019 results, Dundee’s new constituencies would still have voted SNP.
But the party is tipped to make gains in Fife where it was once stronger. Labour is tipped to sweep through much of the central belt, and pick up seats including the Western Isles where the SNP has been dominant.
The party has also set its sights on Aberdeen South – the seat being contested by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.
SNP say it would take 27 years
SNP Candidate for Dundee Central Chris Law mocked Mr Sarwar’s ambitions in the city.
“Labour could have 27 years to persuade the people of Dundee and they would still fail to convince people to vote for the Labour Party’s damaging plan to impose billions of pounds of cuts to our public services,” he said.
“Despite having not visited Dundee once on his fleeting campaign trips to Scotland, Keir Starmer is going to inflict damaging cuts on local public services and leave households suffering increasing costs as a result of Brexit – the SNP will continue to oppose those plans and put Scotland’s interest first.”
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