TRIDENT renewal looks increasingly certain today after Jeremy Corbyn signalled that Labour’s frontbench could be allowed to have a free vote on the controversial issue, bolstering the Conservative Government’s chances of success at Westminster.

The move came as the expected showdown on scrapping Britain’s nuclear deterrent at Labour’s annual conference in Brighton was dramatically avoided following pressure from the trade unions, which believe scrapping Trident would threaten thousands of jobs across the UK.

Len McCluskey, leader of Unite, Labour’s biggest financial backer, made clear Mr Corbyn, an ardent opponent of renewal, would not win a conference vote.

He accepted the cost of replacing Trident with a new generation of nuclear submarines, put at £100 billion over its lifetime, was frustrating but the union chief insisted: “The most important thing is to defend those communities; these jobs are skilled and have an impact right throughout the defence and manufacturing sectors, and so that is our responsibility.”

Mr Corbyn earlier derided Scottish Nationalism and claimed that Labour was being reborn north of the Border, with thousands more members joining in the wake of his leadership victory.

The Labour leader suggested the SNP's commitment to anti-austerity was superficial and questioned the economic strategy behind the party's policy.

He insisted that defending the Union was about class politics, adding: "Flags don't build houses."

At Labour's conference in Brighton, delegates voted on which topical issues should be debated and, despite high expectations Trident renewal would be one of them, it received only seven per cent support from local parties and 0.16 per cent support from the trade unions.

Subjects that will be debated include austerity, the UK Government’s trade union reforms, Europe and the refugee crisis.

Earlier, Mr Corbyn, speaking about Trident renewal, told the BBC One's Andrew Marr Show he and his Shadow Cabinet would come to an “accommodation” but stressed it would not be "a disaster" if there were two different opinions within the party, adding: “Watch this space.”

However, Chuka Umunna, the former Shadow Business Secretary who ruled out serving in the new Shadow Cabinet because of differences with Mr Corbyn over issues like Trident, said: “It's not plausible for us as an opposition not to have a position on the defence of the realm.”

After conference decided not to debate Trident, Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said: "Given the clear view of Labour's leader in favour of this crucial debate, together with very strong grassroots anti-Trident sentiment, conference's failure to debate Trident policy is both a surprise and a huge disappointment.”

Meantime, the SNP claimed Mr Corbyn's entire credibility was now “on the line” as Labour had become mired in confusion on Trident.

Stewart Hosie, the Nationalists’ deputy leader, said: "If Jeremy Corbyn cannot change Labour's position on Trident, he will either have to vote in favour of Trident renewal against his own long-held views or we will be faced with the farcical situation of the Labour leader defying his own party whip.

“Labour no longer appears to have a coherent position on anything, and while they remain such a deeply divided party, SNP MPs will get on with the job of providing real opposition to the Tories at Westminster."

Today at conference, Labour will turn its guns on the UK's economic institutions, including the Bank of England, just hours after Mr Corbyn said he wanted to give the lowest paid a tax cut.

John McDonnell, the new Shadow Chancellor, will announce what aides described as a "radical review” of financial levers.

In his keynote speech, he will also attempt to kick-start a national debate on the benefits of funnelling money from the wealthy to the less well-off.

Yesterday Mr Corbyn said he “would hope” to cut the lower rate of tax. He also backed an increase in the top rate from 45p to 50p, suggested that inheritance tax should be graded and hit out at the David Cameron’s cuts to tax credits.

The Labour leader also attacked companies like Boots, which moved their headquarters offshore, he said, to “pay lower tax”.

In a separate development, Mr Corbyn also announced that he has recruited one of Nicola Sturgeon’s most high-profile economic advisers. Nobel laureate Professor Joseph Stiglitz will be part of a new group, which will develop ideas for the Labour leadership.