A ROW has broken out after a Scottish Liberal Democrat MP appeared to say he would rather the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal than Jeremy Corbyn becomes Prime Minister.
Jamie Stone, the party’s Scotland spokesman, seemed to say he would choose no-deal “every time” over handing the Labour leader the keys to Number 10.
Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary Lesley Laird said Mr Stone had “let the mask slip”.
READ MORE: Mark Smith: Why on earth do so many people have a problem with Jo Swinson?
However, Mr Stone later insisted he had been misunderstood and was actually responding to an earlier question in which he had been asked to say which was worse, no-deal or Mr Corbyn as PM.
Ms Laird said: “Despite the spin about being a new and invigorated party under Jo Swinson, they [the Lib Dems] are the same party that inflicted austerity on the country and they are now willing to inflict a no-deal Brexit on the country.
"Labour has been saying for months that the Lib Dems would rather a no-deal Brexit than for Jeremy Corbyn to become interim Prime Minister.
"A no-deal Brexit would be a catastrophe for working people across the UK. Jo Swinson must clarify these comments immediately or the Lib Dems will never be forgiven."
Mr Stone made the comments while appearing on the BBC’s Politics Scotland.
He said the Lib Dems could not support Mr Corbyn as Prime Minister, and was then asked which was worse - the Labour leader in Number 10 or a no-deal Brexit.
READ MORE: Marianne Taylor: Jo Swinson must do anything and everything to stop no-deal - even “that”
He said: "It may be that somebody else may emerge from the Labour Party. I think the ball is very much in the Labour Party's court to see what alternatives they could find."
The presenter then asked: "Let me press you about it. If no one else does emerge and the choice that you face is between Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister or a no-deal Brexit, then your position is - you’re a pro-European party, you’re anti no-deal, where do you stand? Is it Jeremy Corbyn or is it no-deal?"
Mr Stone, who represents Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, replied: "It is no-deal every time."
However, he later said: “I was quite clear in the whole interview that I oppose no-deal and oppose putting Jeremy Corbyn into Number 10.
"So it is no use Labour deliberately misquoting me so as to twist the truth.
“People across the UK do not have to choose between no-deal and Corbyn.
"That is why the Liberal Democrats are working across parties to stop Brexit and want a new Prime Minister who can get the numbers to do that.”
Mr Stone was previously an MSP and is also the Lib Dem's defence spokesman in Westminster.
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