Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn arrives to visit Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre as part of his general election campaign in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain November 13, 2019. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) - A Labour government would not grant a referendum on Scottish independence in the first term if it is elected, leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Wednesday.
Scottish nationalists led by Nicola Sturgeon have suggested they could support a “progressive alliance” with Labour in the event of a hung parliament at the Dec. 12 election, in return for a second independence vote.
“No referendum in the first term of a Labour government because I think we need to concentrate completely on investment across Scotland,” Corbyn told reporters.
Scottish voters opposed independence in a 2014 plebiscite but then backed remaining in the European Union in 2016, which the Scottish National Party has used to try and boost support for secession.
Reporting by Russell Cheyne; Writing by Kate Holton; editing by Stephen Addison
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https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-election-corbyn-scotland/no-scottish-referendum-in-first-term-if-labour-wins-corbyn
