Former Labour candidate for Perth and North Perthshire backs SNP

A former Labour candidate in Perth has voted for the SNP, The Courier can reveal.

Doug Maughan, who stood for election in the Perth and North Perthshire seat in the 2005 general election and Perth in the 2007 Holyrood vote, said independence “is now inevitable”, although he added it would not solve anything on its own.

He also cited Nicola Sturgeon, Ed Miliband’s refusal to do a deal with the SNP if Labour fails to win a majority, and his party’s stance on immigration, which he said has been “weaponised” to fend off potential Ukip defectors as reasons for his switch.

Mr Maughan said: “As a Labour member for 20 years and former parliamentary candidate, my choice on Thursday should have been easy.

“But after much soul-searching, I posted my ballot paper last week with a vote for the SNP, for several reasons. I am not a Nationalist but I try to be a pragmatist.”

He is the third former Labour parliamentary candidate to announce their support for the SNP during this election campaign.