Jeremy Corbyn Calls For Snap Election As He Meets Charities Battling Austerity

Jeremy Corbyn has called for a snap general election to bring an end to austerity, he suggested, as he heard from groups helping people in poverty in Glasgow.

The Labour leader met voluntary organisations and charities working to tackle poverty in the south west of the city, including food banks, toy donations appeals and credit unions.

He accused the SNP of passing on Conservative cuts and said people suffering from austerity policies “need a general election now”.

The party highlighted statistics from the End Child Poverty coalition indicating a third of children in the area live in poverty.

Life expectancy is in the area is 73.9 years for men and 79.3 for women, lower than the Scottish national averages of 77 and 81.1, which figures published in December show fell for the first time in 35 years.

Corbyn pointed out food bank use in Scotland is at record levels, with statistics showing it increased by 17% in a year, higher than the UK’s 13%, and with the highest number of food parcels handed out to people in Glasgow at 31,630.