Labour leadership hopeful Jeremy Corbyn has spoken out against critics who have resorted to personal abuse and attacks on his character, stating that they are: "Nervous about the power of democracy."
This comes in the aftermath of Tony Blair's attack on the Islington North MP. "The party is walking eyes shut, arms outstretched, over the cliff’s edge to the jagged rocks below" he said.
In his speech, Corbyn took the opportunity to respond to Blair, slamming the ex-Labour leader for his decision to send British troops Iraq.
Corbyn added "we'll go down the road of justice, peace and human rights." (file photo)
"We're all paying the price of Iraq," he said. "The Labour Party has paid the price of Iraq and I'm determined that we'll learn that lesson" he continued. He added: "And we will not go to war on behalf of whatever capricious US president happens to be in office at that time."
Many have condemned Corbyn's campaign since a YouGov poll for the Times, put him in first place to win leadership. He currently sits ahead of second place Andy Burnham and third Yvette Cooper.
In an attack on Corbyn, Cooper claimed that the Islington North MP's economic policies: "aren't radical", are "not credible" and "they won't change the world."
Responding to such criticisms, Corbyn said: "What this campaign is not about, and never will be about, is personal abuse, name-calling , calling into question the character of other people, or other candidates.
"I believe many people, particularly young people, are totally turned off the politics of celebrity, personality, personal abuse, name calling and all that kind of thing. Lets be adult about it."
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Corbyn’s chances have been boosted by a tripling in Labour membership and registered supporters, since the election, and more than 600,000 have now joined the party.
Around 190,000 have been recruited through trade unions, with between 90,000 and 100,000 thought to have come through Unite.