The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Khan heading north to offer Dugdale support
Jeremy Corbyn will also address party conference in Perth
Sadiq Khan will travel to Perth next month in his first trip north of the border since becoming Mayor of London.
It is understood he is keen to help Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale revive the party’s flagging fortunes, starting with a keynote address to its annual conference.
As one of the few Labour politicians to have won a major election in recent years, it will be seen as a significant coup if he becomes an ally of Ms Dugdale, which now seems certain.
Mr Khan said: “I’m very much looking forward to visiting Perth for Scottish Labour’s annual conference and supporting the fantastic work that Kezia Dugdale is doing in Scotland.
“I’m working to grow the relationship between London and the great Scottish cities such as Perth, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen.
“London and Scotland share many of the same challenges following the Brexit vote.
“Kezia Dugdale has set out a welcome and ambitious vision for our United Kingdom.
“As Mayor of London, I am forging a new cross-party consensus on further devolution to the UK capital.”
The Courier can also reveal that UK leader Jeremy Corbyn will once again travel north to address the three-day event at Perth Concert Hall.
It is expected that his deputy, Tom Watson, will attend as well, while Scottish number two Alex Rowley will deliver a keynote speech over the weekend.
There will also be a debate on a new Act of Union, which Ms Dugdale promised in a recent speech in London.
She said: “I’m delighted that Scottish Labour is returning to Perth this year for our annual conference.
“We always receive a great welcome, and the hundreds of Labour delegates attending will help to boost the local economy.
“I look forward to welcoming Jeremy Corbyn, Sadiq Khan and our other guest speakers to the city.”
Ms Dugdale added: “Under my leadership we are rebuilding our party and our movement, to make it the bold and radical force people in Scotland need.”
The conference is expected to attract around 1,000 people to Perth between February 24-26, with many staying in local hotels and using the city’s restaurants and pubs.