JEREMY Corbyn provoked a barrage of criticism yesterday when he described independence as “a folly”.

The UK Labour leader made the remark in his speech on the last day of the Scottish Labour Party’s conference in Perth, where the long-standing supporter of Irish self-determination launched a furious attack on Scottish self-rule.

“The SNP pretend independence will magically transform people’s lives,” he said. “The collapse of oil prices showed how much of a folly that was and what a danger to Scotland’s prosperity independence would have been.”

The London MP failed to acknowledge 62 per cent of people in Scotland voted to remain in the EU as he told Scots to “respect democracy” and accept they were leaving the European Union.

He went on to defend supporting Theresa May’s Brexit Bill saying the Leave vote across the UK could not be ignored.

“We cannot simply wish away the result,” he argued. “Can you imagine the reaction from those 17 million people, including one million from Scotland, who voted to leave the European Union if we simply ignored them?”

Despite a recent poll showing support for independence had risen to 49 per cent since May revealed she would be pursuing a “hard Brexit”, he claimed support for independence was decreasing and, contrary to any evidence, that an independent Scotland would have to join the eurozone and have a hard border with the UK.

“Conference, people don’t like the fact that an independent Scotland that stays in the EU would mean joining the euro and having a hard border with the rest of Britain,” he said.

“Neither do they like the idea of giving back powers to Brussels that they have just got back, for example in agriculture and fisheries. Regular polling since Brexit has shown a drop in support for independence.

“There is no appetite for yet another referendum. To the SNP I say this: listen to the people and respect democracy.”

The SNP and Scottish Greens hit back, describing his remarks as “grossly disrespectful” and “embarrassing”.

Angus Robertson, the SNP’s deputy leader said: “Jeremy Corbyn has made it clear that he and his party are washing their hands of any attempt to listen to the overwhelming democratic will of the people of Scotland.

“That is grossly disrespecting the wishes of the Scottish electorate, and shows how deeply out of touch with Scottish opinion Labour have become.

“Jeremy Corbyn’s message is a stark and depressing surrender on a hard Brexit. There is a clear democratic mandate from the people of Scotland not to be dragged out of the EU. To deny that mandate is to deny reality.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Greens said: “This is embarrassing and incoherent stuff from the Labour leader. Scotland voted to Remain yet Labour are more interested in assisting the Tories’ reckless hard Brexit.

“Greens will continue to speak up for Scotland’s interests while Labour continue their slide into obscurity.”

Corbyn’s speech, on the last day of the conference, was overshadowed by a continuing row over remarks made by the London mayor Sadiq Khan on Saturday suggesting Scottish independence supporters were racists.

The speech also came amid his leadership being put under renewed pressure after Labour lost its former stronghold of Copeland to the Conservatives. It was the first time a ruling party at Westminster had won a by-election since 1982.

During his address he said he took his “share” of responsibility and conceded Labour had not yet done enough to rebuild trust with disillusioned voters. But, in a rallying call, he said: “Now is not the time to retreat, to run away or give up. Let us never forget it’s not called the struggle for nothing.”

He said the UK economy was “rigged”, leaving millions in poverty and that a “radical Labour programme” was needed more than ever.

On Saturday Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale launched a website dedicated to oppose a second independence referendum.