SCOTTISH Labour has been accused of disguising its "toxic" brand in the council elections after two of its Western Isles councillors joined a dozen party members who are standing as independents.

Sitting councillors Ronald MacKinnon and Donald John "DJ" MacRae are standing for re-election as independents leaving Labour with no official candidates on May 4.

The Herald understands that there are 12 Labour members amongst the independent candidates on the Western Isles ballots.

Labour says there is long tradition of councillors from all parties standing as independents in the Western Isles — but it fielded four candidates in 2012.

Mr MacKinnon, 74, said: "I'll always be a member of the Labour Party but, for the good of the islands, I'm going back to standing as an independent as I did when I first joined the council.

"Labour has said they will work with the independent group in the islands' best interests.

"We need to work together to resist the SNP and the cuts coming from Edinburgh. The SNP councillors aren't interested in working with anyone else - they're more interested in playing silly stunts and banging on about independence.

"If Nicola Sturgeon asked them to jump off a pier they would do it."

The SNP, who are putting up nine candidates, said Labour’s absence in the islands demonstrates how "toxic" the party has become.

A spokeswoman said: "While there is a strong tradition of independent councillors in the Western Isles, the fact that even sitting Labour councillors have ditched the party label suggests that they know their party is completely toxic."

One local SNP member claimed the councillors had been "ordered to stand as independents" to help Labour "cling on to its last vestiges of power".

Dr David Wilson, who stood for the SNP in 2012, said: "This could be construed as being deeply dishonest and insulting to the electorate. It is also a damning indictment of the leadership of the Labour Party in Scotland, and further confirmation that the party is now in its death throes."

Labour denied it has ordered its candidates to stand as independents, insisting they did so out of their own "personal choice".

A spokesman said: “As a community, we are facing hard times and the new Comhairle needs to have councillors willing to co-operate with each other and stand together as a united body for the good of our islands.

“The Constituency Labour Party will continue to support the Comhairle's actions where they improve the lives of residents and where they safeguard staff.

“With many pressing issues including threats of job losses, the crisis in care for the elderly, cut backs imposed on the islands and local powers being lost to Edinburgh, we will work towards the best results with decisions taken locally.”

The Conservatives, who kicked Labour into third place in the Scottish Parliament election, didn’t put up any candidates in 2012 but are fielding three this year.

Mr MacRae declined to comment.