Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will make a surprise visit to Inverclyde

It has been announced that Mr Corbyn will be here on Wednesday during a mini-tour of Scotland.

He is visiting target, marginal seats across the country, including Inverclyde, to drum up support for a Labour vote at the next election.

Mr Corbyn said: "At the next election, people in Inverclyde can make the difference between this country having a Labour or a Tory government.

"This is a community with a proud history that was built on shipbuilding and powered by working men and women.

"For the last eight years, people in Inverclyde have suffered because of a cruel Tory government who have cut off hope and opportunity for so many people.

"What we need now is a focus on lifting people out of poverty, protecting our public services and bringing jobs and opportunities for people who live here.

"Labour offers hope for the future.

"We will increase the minimum wage to £10 an hour, halt the rollout of universal credit and reverse the scandal of increasing foodbank use in all our communities.

"With Labour's pledge to invest in our NHS, local services - like those at Inverclyde Royal Hospital - can be protected against SNP cuts."

The UK party chief will be welcomed by the area's Westminster candidate, Martin McCluskey, who lost out to Ronnie Cowan, of the SNP, by less than 400 votes at last year.

Mr McCluskey said: "When Jeremy is here next week I'm looking forward to showing him everything Inverclyde has to offer.

"Last year, thousands of people across Scotland came back to Labour because of the hopeful and positive campaign we ran.

"Jeremy Corbyn's plans to bring jobs to our communities, increase the minimum wage and invest in public services appealed to so many people who are tired of Tory austerity and of the SNP's pursuit of independence at any cost."

Details of where Mr Corbyn will visit have yet to be announced.

Last week, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard visited Inverclyde Royal Hospital to back the 'Save Our Services' campaign by party activists.

Irene O'Brien, who chairs the local Labour group, said: "Last year, Labour were only 384 votes behind the SNP in Inverclyde.

"At the next election, people in Inverclyde can make the difference between us having a Labour government that invests in our public services or a Tory government that is only interested in making cuts.

"Jeremy's visit to Inverclyde shows just how important he thinks this area is - the route to a Labour victory in the future must run through Inverclyde."