Conservatives to blame for problems, not EU, says Corbyn

The Conservatives are to blame for Britain's economic difficulties, not the European Union, Jeremy Corbyn has said.

Mr Corbyn launched a highly partisan attack on the Government during a speech in London, saying responsibility for many of the country's problems "lies in 10 Downing Street, not in Brussels".

"It is not the European Union that is the problem here, it is the Conservative Government," the Labour leader said.

"Their agenda is to end the working time directive, their agenda is to take away that protection, their agenda is to take away the four weeks holiday we won all across Europe. Their whole concept is of undercut, undercut, undercut. Increase profit at one end, increase misery at the other end."

He added: "Do we allow xenophobes to take over or do we instead occupy that political and intellectual territory of the idea that you can solve things together? You'd better build those alliances working with people rather than isolating yourselves from them."