Jeremy Corbyn has exploded at an ITV reporter for being “absolutely obsessed” with questions over his future as Labour leader.
The MP hit back at reporter Paul Brand after being probed on whether he would stand down after Labour’s poll rating plunged to 25% - its joint lowest rating by the ICM polling company since 1983.
Corbyn was launching the party’s local council election campaign, and accused the media of “failing” to report “underfunded” social care, housing and education. Corbyn described the Tories as “running Britain down”.
But when asked about his leadership, Corbyn fired back:
“You’re obsessed with this question, absolutely obsessed with it.
“We have a strong opposition in this country if you bothered to report what we were doing.
“If you bothered to report what Jon Ashworth is doing on the health service, if you bothered to report what Angela Rayner is doing and saying on schools, if you bothered to report what the Labour Party is actually saying.
“It’s your responsibility to make sure the opposition voice is heard as well as the government’s voice. It’s your failings.”
Brand then responded:
“I can tell you’re frustrated with the number of times you’re asked about your leadership but that gets to the heart of the question, which is, aren’t you fed up with this?
To which Corbyn replied:
“The heart of the question is, you haven’t got a question, other than that. Let me tell you what this election is about….”
After the clip became a viral hit, Corbyn later doubled down and tweeted the video himself - but arguing the media must “stop treating politics like a game”. His fierce rebuttal had already spawned the #JezzaBitesBack hashtag.
It’s not the first time he’s snapped at reporters during his tumultuous 18 months at the helm of the Labour Party.
Here’s five other flashpoints with journalists:
He was being asked why there were so few women in his new-look Shadow Cabinet, but it almost feels like arthouse cinema.