Appetite for vote ‘does not exist’

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn insisted there is “no appetite” in Scotland for a second vote on independence, as he urged the SNP government in Edinburgh “listen to the people and respect democracy”.

He attacked the SNP for using the Brexit vote, in which Scotland voted to remain in the European Union while the UK as a whole voted to leave, as “leverage” for a second chance to hold a referendum.

He went on to claim they were using calls for another independence ballot to “divert attention away from their appalling record on colleges, social care, the NHS and transport”.

Mr Corbyn branded the SNP in power an “abject failure” as he argued leaving the UK would not provide the solution to the problems of poverty or inequality.

His attack came amid continuing speculation that Nicola Sturgeon will

“SNP want to divert attention from appalling record”

seek to stage another independence referendum in the wake of last year’s Brexit vote.

In September 2014, Scots voted by 55% to 45% in favour of remaining part of the UK and Mr Corbyn said: “Regular polling since Brexit has shown a drop in support for independence”.

He told the Scottish Labour conference in Perth: “There is no appetite for yet another referendum.

“To the SNP I say this: listen to the people and respect democracy. The Scottish people are telling you to get on with your job and start fixing the mess you have made.”

He said the “collapse of oil prices showed what a danger to Scotland’s prosperity independence would have been”.

Mr Corbyn stood by comments he made earlier this year, that independence would bring “turbocharged austerity” to Scotland.