SNP secretly hope for Tory victory, says prominent Yes campaigner as he defects to Labour

An SNP member in Nicola Sturgeon’s constituency who was an organiser of Asians for Independence during the Scottish referendum has defected to Labour – and has accused members of his former party of secretly hoping for a Tory victory in May.

Muhammad Shoaib says he has been an SNP member for years, but now can “no longer stay silent” about the hidden motives of Scottish Nationalists. Announcing his decision:

“Nobody campaigned harder for a Yes vote than I did. I led Asians for Independence and badly wanted Scotland to vote Yes. But that was last year’s vote.

“In a few weeks we will have a different vote to decide the Government and it’s a clear choice between five more years of the Tories or a jobs guarantee for young people, an £8 minimum wage and a vote to protect the NHS with Labour.”

Shoaib also said that many SNP members want Cameron to remain in power after May 7th, echoing the accusations that SNP leader Sturgeon also privately admits this in private – which denies.

“I have been a senior member of Nicola Sturgeon’s constituency for years and I am deeply saddened that many of my former colleagues in the SNP secretly hope for another Tory government.

“I have become more and more shocked that many in the SNP want to put the interests of the SNP before the interests of Scotland, and their secret hopes for a Tory government betray their true motives.

“I can no longer stay silent and stand idly by.”

“That is why today I am backing Labour as the only party big enough and strong enough to kick the Tories out.”

Shoaib, a businessman, was a Labour councillor before joining the SNP eight years ago, and believes the idea of a Tory win is popular with the party because it would increase the chance of another referendum. Anas Sarwar, Glasgow Central MP, said that he was “delighted tohave the backing of such a prominent Yes campaigner and respected figure.” It could hardly come at a worse time for the SNP: Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy will face down Sturgeon in Scottish leaders’ debate on STV tonight at 8pm.