JEREMY Corbyn has denied any suggestion that Labour is blocking debate after it emerged the party's Scottish conference will not get the chance to vote on single market membership.
It comes after a "unity motion" for the event in Dundee – which crucially contains no mention of the single market – was unanimously supported by the Scottish Executive late on Thursday.
READ MORE: Car-crash interview for Richard Leonard with Labour at war on Brexit
This is despite a new group in the party – supported by Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray, former leader Kezia Dugdale and MEP Catherine Stihler – calling for a policy of permanent membership.
The issue of Brexit will be debated by party members at the conference on Sunday.
When asked if the leadership was clamping down on democratic debate, Corbyn insisted: "Absolutely not."
The Labour leader said: "The Scottish Executive is putting forward statements to conference which are then debated at conference.
"This is an open democratic conference with lots of new members and it's the biggest conference for years.
"What is there not to like about that?"
While Labour's policy is for the UK to be in a customs union with the European Union after Brexit, it does not support continued single market membership – although several motions backing this were submitted to Scottish conference organisers.
A party spokesman said the motion that had been agreed for debate "recognises that since individual motions were submitted, the situation regarding Brexit has changed significantly".
The agreed motion supports shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer's "six tests" for a deal to leave the EU – including whether it delivers the "exact same benefits" as being members of the single market and customs union.
The Scottish Labour spokesman added: "Jeremy Corbyn has outlined a proposal that puts clear red water between Labour and the Tories and the SNP government has introduced unprecedented legislation in the form of the EU Continuity Bill.
"This is a motion which takes cognisance of the fast-changing nature of the Brexit debate in Scotland and allows the party to unite behind a common goal - putting the interests of working people first."
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: "People will in the end have a choice whether to accept the executive statement or to vote for an alternative so in the end it will be the conference that will decide so I'm quite happy that we're conducting this in a very open and democratic way."
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