JEREMY Corbyn’s spokesman says Labour could allow indyref2, but not within the first year of government.
The remark is likely to infuriate Scottish Labour boss Richard Leonard, who has struggled over the last year to get his colleagues south of the border on message.
The spokesman said the next referendum won’t be allowed to happen in the “formative years” of a Labour administration, but he refused to rule out granting a Section 30 order beyond 2020.
Earlier in the day, one of the party's most senior ministers, shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald, added to the confusion, telling the BBC that Labour “won't stand in the way of a second independence referendum".
Speaking on the BBC’s Politics Live, Corbyn’s frontbencher was asked if Labour were “ruling out giving permission for a second independence referendum”.
McDonald said: “We are not ruling it out. My dad is Scots, I want Scotland to stay as part of the UK.”
Asked if Labour would therefore offer Scottish voters a second independence referendum, he replied: “I want to get to a situation where we are in a customs union and single market that preserves our ability to trade.
READ MORE: General Election will not change First Minister’s Section 30 plans for indyref2
"I hope that would go a long way toward satisfying a lot of people's concerns, making a second independence referendum unnecessary.
“We won't stand in the way of a second independence referendum.
"We don't want it. We want the United Kingdom to sustain and we don't want a border up the Irish Sea.”
The SNP's Pete Wishart, who was also appearing on the show, suggested McDoanld “have a quiet word with his colleagues in Scottish Labour who are saying exactly the opposite".
He added: “If Labour are offering a second independence referendum, that is something that is really positive.”
The SNP MP said his party’s condition “for working with anybody” was the granting of a Section 30 order “that allows for a constitutional legal referendum”.
He added: “If Labour is offering that there'll be no problem, of course, we will be able to work with them because we will achieve their ambition, they will get to govern this country and everyone will be happy.”
Labour’s position on a second referendum on Scottish independence has been branded "confusing".
Earlier this month, shadow chancellor John McDonnell insisted the party would not trade indyref2 in return for SNP MPs propping a minority Corbyn government. He said it would not be a priority.
READ MORE: John McDonnell says UK Labour won't block indyref2
Though over the summer he said a Labour government would allow the plebiscite if MSPs vote for one.
Interim Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw pounced on the remark: “It’s only day one of the General Election campaign and already Labour is selling out the people of Scotland.
“These aren’t ambiguous remarks – they are confirmation from a senior Labour MP that they will give the green light to Nicola Sturgeon’s latest attempts to break-up Britain.
"No ifs, no buts.
He continued: “This again shows that only the Scottish Conservatives are committed to Scotland’s place in the UK, and to getting Brexit sorted.
“The SNP and Labour want to do a deal with each other to get Jeremy Corbyn into Downing Street and secure Nicola Sturgeon another divisive referendum campaign.
“Neither party can possibly be trusted by the people of Scotland at this upcoming election.”
LibDem Alex Cole-Hamilton agreed: “With Scottish Labour completely confused on Brexit and independence, Scottish Liberal Democrats are the only party that is clear that Scotland’s best future is in both the UK and the EU. That’s the best way to build a brighter future.”
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