Leader denies backing ‘repatriation grants’

Jeremy Corbyn was forced to deny that he previously backed a proposal to pay black Britons grants to resettle in Africa or the Caribbean.

The policy was put forward by the late Labour MP Bernie Grant in a controversial speech at a Labour fringe event in 1993. He later named Mr Corbyn as one of two MPS who he said supported him and had received similar requests from black people.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “Jeremy does not, and did not, support this policy.”