Leader’s praise for scheme to help high-growth businesses

LABOUR leader Jeremy Corbyn has singled out a scheme set up in Glasgow to help businesses grow as an example of how the party’s councils are fighting austerity.

Mr Corbyn said the Centre for Business Incubation and Development in the Merchant City was an example of how the council was fighting “cynical government funding cuts”.

The complex supports highgrowth companies. It was launched this year with cash from the UK Government’s £1.13 billion Glasgow and Clyde Balley city region deal.

Mr Corbyn told the Labour conference: “Labour councils are putting Labour values into action, in a way that makes a real difference to millions of people, despite cynical government funding cuts that have hit Labour councils five times as hard as Tory-run areas.”

He added that Glasgow “has established high-quality and flexible workspaces for start-up, high-growth companies in dynamic new sectors”.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said it was “bizarre” for Corbyn to choose the Glasgow City Deal as an example of Labour’s opposition to Government policy.”