The city council’s ruling Labour group have announced they will fight the May election on five key issues while taking on the mantle of “Aberdeen Labour”.
In what’s seen as a exercise in distancing themselves from the embattled Scottish and UK parties, the Granite City candidates will campaign under the city-specific slogan and Aberdeen Labour could appear on the local ballots.
Billboards displaying party messages will be displayed on Wellington Road, Great Northern Road, Lang Stracht and South College Street among others with a slogan of “making it happen”.
These are expected to revolve around commitments to building 2,000 more council houses, boosting the city’s “cultural economy” through the likes of the renovation of the Art Gallery and Music Hall, a promise of free wi-fi throughout the city cente and on the city centre masterplan.
It is understood that tens of thousands has been ploughed into the ad campaign from party donors, which party chiefs say makes it the largest council election campaign in the city’s history.
A full manifesto launch is expected at the end of March with a second phase of campaigning planned then.
An eye-catching electronic van will also travel around the city this week displaying the messages.
Council leader Jenny Laing said the inclusion of Aberdeen in the party’s name was intended to show they “would stand up to national government”.
She said: “I think it’s important that people realise that the choice they will make on May will be about how Aberdeen will be run for the next five years and that’s why we believe we should be standing on our own record.
“I think we’ve recognised for a long time in this city given the poor financial settlements we get from central government that to prosper and move forwards we need to do things for ourselves.
“I’m not so sure our opponents are so keen to challenge central government when the city’s interests are at stake. We have seen this with some of the decision making of our SNP opposition where they have always had one eye on Holyrood and the effect it will have on their national party.”
But SNP group leader Stephen Flynn said: “I’m sure that the irony of the decision to try and distance themselves from Kezia Dugdale and Jeremy Corbyn, whilst at the same time promoting the absurd legacy of Willie Young, will not be lost on voters in Aberdeen.”