Jeremy Corbyn speaks of 'dreadful' migrant camp conditions

Members of aid and volunteer groups showed Mr Corbyn around the camp

Jeremy Corbyn has visited a migrant camp in northern France and spoken of the "dreadful conditions" there.

The Labour leader said conditions in the Grande-Synthe camp near Dunkirk would be a "disgrace anywhere", and Britain should be "part of bringing European support to people".

He said the long-term solution was to deal with the conflicts causing the migration crisis.

On Friday France's PM said the crisis was putting the EU at grave risk.

Mr Corbyn was given a tour of the Grande-Synthe camp, meeting migrants and aid workers.

"What I'm trying to achieve here is to understand the nature of the refugee crisis that's facing the whole of Europe," he said.

"Ultimately we deal with the situation by dealing with the problem at its source, which are the wars and conflicts.

"Also, there are the human needs of people. We have got people here who have been here for months, if not longer than that, with no proper education, no access to doctors, no access to dentists, limited access to food - in very cold, very wet conditions."

He added: "We as human beings have to reach out to fellow human beings."

Aid workers said tents at the camp were surrounded by puddles of water and food, which had attracted rats.

The population of the camp has risen steadily in recent weeks to about 2,500, including about 250 children, according to Medecins Sans Frontieres‎. It says most are Kurds from Iran, Syria and Iraq who hope to reach the UK.

Speaking about the migration crisis, Mr Corbyn said: "Germany has done an enormous amount, other countries have done varying amounts and I think we should be part of bringing European support to people."

In September Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain would accept 20,000 refugees from Syria over five years.

Volunteers from several countries, including the UK, continue to help migrants living in camps in northern France. Aid gathered by a Glasgow Muslim society arrived at a camp in Calais shortly before Mr Corbyn's Dunkirk visit.