Jeremy Corbyn’s speech gaffe shows how little hope Labour has of ever winning back Scotland
Labour leader hails party move . . . but it was the Tories
BLUNDERING Jeremy Corbyn showed Labour has little hope of ever winning back Scotland by dropping a clanger in his conference speech.
His party was all but wiped out there in last year’s general election and yesterday he proved how little he knows about the region.
The clueless leader used his key conference speech to highlight how Labour-run councils were fighting back against the Tories’ “cynical funding cuts”.
He then used a business start-up scheme in Glasgow as an example — only for it to emerge that the venture had been funded entirely by £1.7million of UK Government cash.
The blunder was the ONLY reference to Scotland in his hour-long speech, aside from a brief mention of three recent council by-elections.
Last night Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: “It’s very kind of Jeremy Corbyn to praise the Conservative government in this way.
"It tells you just how beleaguered he is that, even when seeking to criticise, his remarks end up as a compliment.”
Scots Secretary David Mundell, who visited the venue last month, added: “It’s bizarre to hear Jeremy Corbyn choosing the City Deal as an example of Labour’s opposition to the government’s economic policy.
“The UK Government was proud to put £500million into it.”
Last night Labour insiders insisted the bungled speech was “nothing to do” with Kezia Dugdale’s Scottish HQ.
Mr Corbyn’s gaffe came as he told delegates UK Labour councils were fighting back against austerity.
After claiming they were putting “Labour values into action” he said Glasgow has “established high quality and flexible workspaces for start-up, high growth companies”.
RELATED STORIES
Labour confirmed Mr Corbyn was referring to the Tontine business centre in Glasgow city centre, which offers workspace for hi-tech firms.
But council bosses later pointed out that the hub has been funded entirely from Westminster as part of a joint City Deal scheme with the Scottish Government.
The party defended Mr Corbyn’s blunder insisting Glasgow City Council would “deliver” the start-up project, aimed at injecting £53.6million into the economy and creating 536 new jobs.
A spokesman said: “Labour fought for the City Deal to boost the local economy.
“Despite this, Glasgow still faces cuts to local government funding as a result of Tory austerity, passed on and doubled by the SNP.”
A council spokesman confirmed: “The £1.67million for the initial, current phase of this project comes from the UK Government.
"Further investment as the facility expands will come from Glasgow City Council.”
Mr Corbyn was welcomed to the platform in Liverpool with a standing ovation and chants of “Jez we can”.
He vowed to climb an “electoral mountain” and win the next election despite polls predicting Labour’s worst performance since 1935.
Policy pledges in the speech will have been lost on Scots as they related to education and councils — both devolved to Holyrood.
Mr Corbyn’s lack of knowledge about Scotland has repeatedly sparked dismay among Labour chiefs.
Last year, allies had to give the Islington North MP a rushed briefing on Scottish matters when he came north after being made leader.
Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368