Jeremy Corbyn challenged over EU stance

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is to make his first major set-piece TV appearance of the EU referendum after criticism he has kept too low a profile in the Remain campaign.
Jeremy Corbyn will face live questions on television. Picture: TSPLJeremy Corbyn will face live questions on television. Picture: TSPL
Jeremy Corbyn will face live questions on television. Picture: TSPL

Mr Corbyn will face questions live on Sky News from an audience of young voters on Monday, 20 June.

The Labour leader was yesterday told to “get out and campaign” during an exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions, with David Cameron reminding Mr Corbyn the pair are on the same side after the Labour leader highlighted splits in the Tory cabinet over Europe.

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Mr Corbyn has refused to appear alongside Conservatives or the cross-party Stronger In campaign.

The Labour leader was also accused of pursuing the “politics of protest” in an assault on his leadership by Tony Blair.

Labour’s former prime minister told Bloomberg Television he was accused of being a war criminal while Mr Corbyn “is seen as a progressive icon as we stand by and watch the people of Syria barrel-bombed, beaten and starved into submission and do nothing”.

Mr Blair said there were two kinds of politics: “There’s a guy whose face is on the placard. That’s me: Hate that guy. You’re the person in power taking difficult decisions.

“Jeremy is the guy with the placard, he’s the guy holding it. One’s the politics of power and the other’s the politics of protest.”

Mr Corbyn’s spokesman said Mr Blair’s comments were “not correct”, and said the Labour leader has “no plans” to appear on platforms alongside his predecessor during the EU referendum campaign, even though they are both supporting the Remain side.

The senior Labour spokesman said: “What Tony Blair says is a matter for him.”