No Scottish referendum in first term if Labour wins -Corbyn

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.