JEREMY Corbyn's stance on a second independence referendum has descended into further confusion on his first campaign visit to Scotland ahead of December's election.

The Labour leader kicked off his trip by insisting there would be "no referendum in the first term" of his government – before U-turning on this position just hours later.

Asked if he was misquoted or had misspoken earlier in the day, he snapped at reporters and criticised them for not asking about other issues.

Boris Johnson said Mr Corbyn's position was "veiled in mystery", while the Scottish Tories accused him of being in "complete disarray". 

Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon insisted she would not help a minority Labour government into power unless it accepted "the principle that whether there is a referendum in Scotland and what the timescale of that referendum should be should be determined by the people of Scotland".

Mr Corbyn hit back on social media, insisting this showed the SNP "can't be trusted not to let Boris Johnson back in".

He made his latest comments on independence as he visited Glasgow, Hamilton and Uddingston as part of a tour of Scottish constituencies ahead of December 12.

During a visit to the Heart of Scotstoun community centre in the morning, Mr Corbyn ruled out holding a referendum on Scottish independence in the first term of a Labour government.

He said: "No referendum in the first term for a Labour government because I think we need to concentrate completely in investment across Scotland."

This suggested Labour would refuse to grant another referendum even if the SNP won a majority in the 2021 Holyrood election – a substantial shift in position for Mr Corbyn.

However, aides immediately backtracked and made it clear that Labour's position could change if the SNP won a majority in 2021.

Asked to clarify his earlier comments during his visit to Uddingston, Mr Corbyn said: "I think the confusion is with you and not me. 

"It's quite clear an incoming Labour government's priorities would be investment in Scotland – £70 billion of investment for jobs, services and infrastructure. 

"It would be ending Universal Credit. It would be encouraging housing development in Scotland. 

"And we will not countenance an independence referendum in the early years of a Labour government, because our priorities would be elsewhere."

Pressed on whether this meant he would allow a second vote if there is a pro-independence majority at the 2021 Holyrood election, he said: "I'm not in favour of it at all, because I think the priorities for Scotland are ending inequality and poverty and injustice, and independence would bring with it economic problems for Scotland."

He later insisted he did not "want" an independence referendum because one had already been held in 2014.

Asked if he was misquoted or had misspoken earlier in the day, Mr Corbyn snapped at reporters: "Look, I've given you an answer this afternoon, and what really impresses me about all your questions is not one of you have asked about housing, not one of you have asked about poverty, not one of you have asked about Universal Credit, not one of you have asked about low wages and people in work having to use food banks. 

"I think those are the issues that matter in this election, and that's the message I'm taking out around the country."

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said he would be leading his party into the 2021 Holyrood election and fully intended to win.

He added: "The question of another party getting a mandate is not something we are contemplating."

Elsewhere, Mr Corbyn insisted he would not enter into any pacts or deals with the SNP in the event Labour fails to secure a majority at the general election. 

He said: "We're not doing deals, we're not doing pacts, what we're doing is fighting as a Labour Party across the whole of the UK."

Asked if he would allow the Tories to stay in power rather than working with the SNP, he said: "Well, it's for the SNP to choose. 

"If the SNP want to put the Tories back into office – if they have sufficient numbers to do it – after the election, their choice. 

"Do they really want to impose on the people of Scotland more years of austerity, more poor children, more homeless people, more housing shortage, more lack of investment?

"Or are they going to support a Labour government that would invest in the future of Scotland? It's their choice."

Mr Corbyn argued immigration should not be devolved to Scotland, despite calls from the SNP.

He also responded to the announcement by former Labour minister Tom Harris that he will vote for Boris Johnson.

The ex-Glasgow South MP, who served as a junior minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, branded the Labour leader an "extremist" and claimed he was "not someone who can be trusted with the security of the nation".

Mr Corbyn said: "Tom Harris works for the Daily Telegraph. That's his choice. He left the labour Party quite a long time ago. 

"He was elected to Parliament as a Labour MP to address poverty and injustice in this country. 

"If he now supports Boris Johnson, and all the inequalities, the poverty, the injustice that austerity has brought, that's his choice."

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said Mr Corbyn's position on independence "is as incoherent as his position on Brexit". 

He said: "In the space of a few hours he has ruled out a second Scottish independence referendum, and then ruled out ruling it out."

Stephen Kerr, the Scottish Tory candidate for Stirling, said Mr Corbyn's was in "complete disarray". 

He said: "The only thing that’s clear is that he simply cannot be trusted to back Scotland’s place in the UK."

Scottish Liberal Democrat general election chair Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: "Jeremy Corbyn has done so many U-turns that he doesn't know which way he is facing.

"He's completely unfit to be Prime Minister and hopelessly adrift on both Brexit and independence."