Corbyn denies he ever supported independence

Labour leader also accuses Tories of ‘trashing’ UK shipbuilding

Jeremy Corbyn said he has “never” supported Scottish independence, while on a visit to Glasgow to call for navy shipbuilding contracts to stay in Britain.

Speaking at the Fairfield Shipbuilding Museum in Govan, the Labour leader said UK Government plans to put the £1 billion contract for three new Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships out to international tender were “wrong”.

Backed by Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, he called on the government to guarantee the ships are built in the UK and said rules enabling navy warships to be built at domestic shipyards could be extended to cover these naval support vessels.

Mr Corbyn faced criticism from the SNP, who said he was attempting to rewrite history in portraying himself as a defender of shipbuilding on the Clyde after a Labour “betrayal” on warship pledges during the campaign for the Scottish independence referendum.

Questioned on recent claims by the SNP’s Mhairi Black that she knew from talking to Mr Corbyn he personally did not believe in Labour’s official position of supporting Scotland remaining in the UK, he said: “I have never supported Scottish independence. What I want is to lead a UK Labour government. I want to see a Labour government in Scotland.”

He said Labour’s plan would sustain existing jobs in the industry and create new ones, adding: “Workers in UK shipyards, from Plymouth... and Glasgow to Belfast share a proud tradition of building some of the best ships in the world.

“Unfortunately, the Conservative government is currently trashing that tradition by offering up the Ministry of Defence’s most recent contract for three new Fleet Solid Support Ships to overseas companies to be built elsewhere. “This decision is wrong.” SNP MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Bill Kidd, said: “Workers on the Clyde and people across Scotland haven’t forgotten Labour’s betrayal of the industry in 2014 – making promises they couldn’t keep in order to shore up votes in their grubby alliance with the Tories.”

An MoD spokesman said: “We are launching a competition for three new Fleet Solid Support ships this year and strongly encourage British yards to take part.”

He said the government had investment more than £6 billion in UK shipbuilding since 2010.

Picture: PA. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn during his visit to the Fairfield Shipbuilding Museum in Glasgow.