Nicky Morgan has defended David Cameron's decision to brand MPs opposed to airstrikes against Isis in Syria as "terrorist sympathisers".
Speaking on BBC Question Time on Thursday evening, the education secretary said the prime minister had a point when he criticised Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell.
"Jeremy Corbyn has said in June of this year, he talked about 'our friends from Hezbollah'. John McDonnell talked about the 'bombs, and the bullets and the sacrifice' made by the IRA," she said.
Turning to the shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott, a close ally of Corbyn, Morgan added: "And last week on this programme, Ken Livingstone, the leader of your defense review, Diane, talked about people on 7/7 who gave their lives, what about people who lost their lives?"
However Abbott said Morgan's comments were "old smears".
Abbott also hit out at fellow panelist and writer Jill Kirby, who criticised Corbyn for his views on terrorism. Abbott asked: "Are you saying the leader of the Labour Party supports terrorism?"
Kirby replied: "I am sure that he has in the past supported terrorism."