Jeremy Corbyn: David Cameron's attack shows he's rattled

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Jeremy CorbynImage source, Reuters

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has hit back after David Cameron accused him of a "Britain-hating ideology".

His spokesman said it was "a sure sign" the PM was "rattled" by Labour.

In his speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, the prime minister launched his most outspoken attack on Mr Corbyn to date.

"We cannot let that man inflict his security-threatening, terrorist-sympathising, Britain-hating ideology on the country we love," the PM said.

The speech is being seen as an attempt to reclaim the centre ground from Labour after it elected left-wing MP Mr Corbyn as its leader.

'Exposed'

He referred to the Labour Party 14 times and devoted a whole section of speech to Mr Corbyn, who has called for a "kinder politics" free of personal attacks.

The PM attacked comments his opposite number made in 2011 about the death of Osama Bin Laden, when he said it was a "tragedy" the al-Qaeda chief was killed rather than being put on trial.

Mr Corbyn had gone on to describe the attack on the World Trade Centre, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the death of Bin Laden as tragedies, arguing "the solution has got to be law not war".

Mr Cameron also said he was "angry" at the "self righteous" way Labour made its arguments and said the Tories were "keeping our head as Labour lose theirs".

In response, a spokesman for Mr Corbyn - who travelled to Manchester during the Conservative conference to address a protest rally - said: "The fact that David Cameron used his speech to make personal attacks on Jeremy Corbyn are a sure sign that he is rattled by the re-energisation of the Labour Party.

"With cuts to tax credits and a continued failure on housing, his claim that the Conservatives are the party of working people is being exposed."