Labour war over 2nd Scots independence poll

JEREMY Corbyn is willing to destroy the union to overturn brexit, Michael Gove said last night.

He spoke after John McDonnell refused to back down over his support for a second referendum on Scottish independence.

The Shadow Chancellor said Labour would not block a second vote if the Scottish parliament voted for one, which is against Labour policy.

He was slapped down by Scottish Labour leader richard Leonard, while the Tories yesterday shared a picture online depicting Jeremy Corbyn in the pocket of SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon.

Last night Mr Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: ‘If they are given the chance, Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon will do a backroom deal to ignore not one, but two referendum results.

‘Today has made clear that those who want to stop us leaving the Eu on october 31 are even willing to destroy the union in their attempt to overturn the referendum.’

Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on Tuesday, Mr McDonnell said: ‘The Scottish parliament will come to a considered view and they will submit that to the Government and the English Parliament itself.

‘If the Scottish people decide they want a referendum, that’s for them. We would not block something like that.’

The remarks sparked fury, with a dozen Scottish Labour candidates signing an open letter opposing ‘indyref2’. after meeting Mr McDonnell, Mr Leonard said: ‘I made clear to him that a second independence referendum is unwanted and unnecessary.’

but yesterday Mr McDonnell refused to change his position and claimed Mr Corbyn agreed. In a second Fringe appearance, he said allowing a second vote was ‘a view that Jeremy has expressed in the past’.