Basil Zempilas says Labor has been obsessed with him during the campaign for Saturday’s election in Western Australia, an idea based on speculation the former Channel 7 star is a shoo-in to become the next Liberal leader.

But senior WA Labor sources say it’s not that complicated. Strategists concede that the party fixates on Zempilas, who’s also the Lord Mayor of Perth, but not because they’re trying to tear him down.