Jeremy Corbyn: Labour will be a 'government for women'

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has said that a future Labour government would put women at the heart of their policies.

He pledged his party would do more to bridge the pay gap between men and women and offer more support to victims of domestic abuse.

Marking International Human Rights Day, Mr Corbyn said: "Labour will measure every piece of legislation, and every policy, by the yardstick of its impact on women before it is brought before Parliament and put into practice.

"Women will not only be at the heart of my government, women's rights and interests will be front and centre stage of everything we do.

"The world's women aren't first and foremost victims of poverty or violence, they are the change makers. Without the participation of women at their heart, the most pressing global problems simply won't be solved."

Mr Corbyn said a future Labour government would ratify the Istanbul Convention which lays down minimum standards of care and backing for people fleeing abusive relationships.

He said: "In Britain, under this Conservative administration, a historic international treaty which sets legally binding standards to prevent and tackle domestic abuse remains nothing but a piece of paper."