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Scottish Labour activists admitted there is “no longer a core vote” as they brace for council election losses, according to a brutally honest report seen by the Record.

Minutes from a branch meeting in Labour-controlled Falkirk show members hope to avoid any reference to “national politics of the day”.

The leaked notes suggest Labour’s problems under Jeremy Corbyn are seriously denting chances of holding on at May’s crunch vote.

It comes just days after a poll showed the party’s support has halved since the last local authority election in 2012.

The minutes from the Braes branch stated: “Nationally the situation is difficult - polling and analysis shows there is no longer a core Labour vote/typical Labour voter.

“For the council elections the party aim is to campaign on local issues, focussing on the strengths and achievements of local candidates - not national politics of the day.”

But members present at the meeting on February 1 also admitted the local campaign isn’t even ready - and there isn’t a social media strategy. The manifesto won’t be written until next month.

And in a hint of wider canvassing problems for Labour, the minutes add: “The party doesn’t necessarily make it easy for folks to get involved.”

The minutes show they are still looking for a local message for non SNP voters who they hope to persuade to vote for Labour in their second vote on the multimember ballot.

Labour want to push the message that they have improved local housing, amenities and bus services while the SNP Scottish Government have forced cuts on councils.

One proposed local slogan, designed to campaign against predicted SNP outsourcing, was “keep it in the cooncil”.

(Image: Yuk Moi/PA Wire)

Labour returned 14 councillors in Falkirk in 2012, making them the largest group with one more than the SNP. They formed an administration with Tories and independents.

In 2013, Labour were rocked by vote-rigging allegations in Falkirk during the selection process to replace disgraced MP Eric Joyce.

The minutes suggest the branch fears Lower Braes councillor Alan Nimmo could lose to his rivals. Members suggested focussing efforts there.

In Upper Braes, they proposed to focus on re-electing John McLuckie, with no written record of the second member Rosie Murray, who wasn’t at the meeting.

Upper Braes members unanimously agreed they don’t want to split votes by having two candidates on the ballot.

SNP Falkirk Council group leader Cecil Meiklejohn said: “These revelations show just how far the Labour party has fallen in Scotland - and it is clear that they have given up on putting in any kind of effort to win a majority in May with this admission that they no longer have a core vote.

“Falkirk Labour have been engulfed by scandals over vote-rigging and corruption and were happy to join forces with the Tories.”