JEREMY CORBYN faced a furious backlash from Labour MPs after saying it is "absolutely fine" for another vote to go ahead on Scottish independence.
The party leader was accused of a "special type of idiocy" after he said Westminster should not seek to block another independence referendum if First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insists on holding one.
Scotland's only Labour MP Ian Murray said Corbyn was "destroying" the party and a senior ally of Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale branded the comments "irresponsible".
Party officials later issued a statement to clarify the party's position and Corbyn later made a fresh comment stating Scottish Labour would oppose a second referendum.
Ian Murray, Edinburgh South MP, tweeted: "Often asked why I resigned from Shadow Cabinet. Ladies & Gentlemen I give u Jeremy Corbyn. He's destroying the party that soo many need.
"Independence would be disaster for Scotland and my constituents. Supporting another Indy ref goes against wishes of Scots. Wrong then & now."
Backbencher Wes Streeting said: "When Tories are on ropes over budget, it takes a special type of idiocy to back an independence referendum. Slow clap @jeremycorbyn. Enough."
When Corbyn was asked if a second independence referendum appeared inevitable given the gulf between Sturgeon goal's of keeping Scotland in the single market and Theresa May's plans for a UK-wide hard Brexit, he initially said: "If a referendum is held then it is absolutely fine, it should be held. I don't think it's the job of Westminster or the Labour Party to prevent people holding referenda."
However in a statement later, he said: "Scottish Labour will oppose another referendum on independence. If the Scottish parliament votes for one, we will not block that democratic decision at Westminster. But if there is another referendum we will vigorously oppose independence on the basis it would lead to turbo charged austerity for Scotland."
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