IRA ROW DOGS SCOTTISH LABOUR

Kezia faces grilling on her leader at launch of manifesto

SCOTTISH Labour’s manifesto launch was overshadowed by the Jeremy Corbyn IRA row.

Kezia Dugdale faced questions over the UK Labour leader’s position on the terror organisation, which has led to accusations that he is ‘siding with Britain’s enemies’.

In a weekend TV interview, Mr Corbyn was pressed repeatedly to say he unequivocally opposed Republican terrorism. But he refused to condemn the IRA directly, instead saying he opposed all bombing.

Yesterday, he refused to say that the IRA were terrorists and praised the ‘bravery’ on both sides. The issue is plaguing Labour’s campaign in England and yesterday it appeared to spread north of the Border.

As Scottish Labour launched its manifesto in Edinburgh, Miss Dugdale appealed to tactical voters to help oust SNP candidates and gave a ‘cast iron’ promise never to support a second independence referendum.

Mr Corbyn did not attend the launch, and was only mentioned once by Miss Dugdale during her speech. But his leadership was called into question at the event with Miss Dugdale quizzed over his refusal to condemn the IRA.

She was asked what she would say to voters with concerns on whether Mr Corbyn is fit to be Prime Minister due to his refusal to condemn the IRA.

She responded by claiming: ‘I think that’s a very poor interpretation of what Jeremy said.

‘It is just worth reminding people that it was the Labour Party that delivered the Good Friday Agreement. I would just add to that the bottom line is there is only a choice between two parties at this election.

‘You send SNP MPs to the House of Commons, they will be on the opposition benches shouting at whoever is in charge.’

On the Good Friday agreement, it was put to Miss Dugdale that John McDonnell had voted against this and Mr Corbyn had a long history of support for the IRA, while in the 1980s Diane Abbott spoke about her hopes for an IRA victory.

The Scottish Labour leader was asked whether she could ‘honestly say people who think this are fit and proper’ to run the country? However, Miss Dugdale again dodged the question.

Instead, she said: ‘It is very clear to me that we are 20 years on from that Good Friday Agreement and that transformed Northern Ireland. We must do everything we can to maintain peace in Northern Ireland and that’s a commitment in this manifesto.’

Last night, Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: ‘The difficulty Labour are having with this issue is staggering.

‘They have a UK leader in Jeremy Corbyn who won’t say a bad word about the IRA, and now a Scottish leader in Kezia Dugdale who won’t criticise that stance.

‘That’s hugely insulting to the people who’ve lost loved ones to terrorists over the years, and makes you wonder what on earth is going on at the heart of the Labour Party.’

Miss Dugdale was joined by a number of Labour candidates as she launched the 120-page manifesto – including Ian Murray, who was the only Labour MP in Scotland after the 2015 vote.

The document makes clear Labour’s position against a second independence referendum. Miss Dugdale said: ‘We absolutely cannot put a second independence referendum ahead of our nation’s schools, hospitals, our people and their future prospects. That’s exactly what has happened in the past ten years of SNP Government. They are running a campaign, not a government.’

The manifesto failed to include Miss Dugdale’s tax plans.

But yesterday she said she supports 1p being added to all income tax bands in Scotland. This differs from the UK party’s stance where shadow chancellor Mr McDonnell has vowed only to raise taxes for those earning over £80,000.

It means if Miss Dugdale’s party were in power in Scotland with a Labour Government in Westminster, Scots would pay more income tax than their counterparts south of the Border because it is devolved to Holyrood.

Meanwhile, the manifesto also claimed a Labour government would deliver a £3billion budget boost for Scotland. It included pledges to stop shops opening on New Year’s Day, as well as legislating to prevent rural bank closures, nationalising the railways and Royal Mail and supporting Trident.

‘Insulting to those who have lost loved ones’

bombings, said: ‘These remarks really took my breath away. How can IRA terrorists possibly be described as brave?’ she said.

‘Anyone who makes such crass remarks should be condemned. It is insulting and simply unacceptable. It hurts victims to the core, and wounds us as a family.

‘He is utterly unfit to be Prime Minister. He and John McDonnell are apologists for terrorists who are trying to rewrite history and cover up their own beliefs.’ Security minister Ben Wallace, who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, said: ‘It is a disgrace that a man who wants to be Prime Minister cannot describe the IRA as terrorists, and to suggest otherwise is an insult to the victims and relatives whose lives were devastated by the IRA’s murderous campaign of violence.

‘Anyone who has ever experienced the fear and horrendous aftermath of indiscriminate bombings and shootings will know that the IRA were ruthless terrorists. Anyone who has had to experience the horror of picking pieces of bodies off the streets, or had to bury a loved one, after one of their attacks will know that Mr Corbyn is dangerously deluded and morally bankrupt.

‘No ifs, no buts, the IRA were terrorists who murdered hundreds of people and ruined thousands more lives.

If Jeremy Corbyn cannot say that then he is unfit to be Prime Minister.’

Miss Griffith also distanced herself from Mr Corbyn’s refusal to say that Labour would commission a replacement’ for Trident nuclear weapons, saying she was ‘committed’ to the deterrent.