Jeremy Corbyn has accused an ITV journalist of “harassment” after she asked him if he would welcome an early general election.
The Labour leader had just finished a speech at thinktank Class on Saturday in which he called for “transparency and accountability to Parliament” over Brexit negotiations.
Whilst leaving the venue, political correspondent Libby Wiener asked Corbyn: “Would you be happy if Theresa May called a general election?”
An aide then interjects on his behalf saying he is not doing interviews whilst blocking the camera.
Corbyn then says: “Can we go outside? We’re being harassed here.”
The aide then goes on to call Weiner “rude” and unprofessional as Corbyn marches away.
Wiener responds: “I am a professional, and the country wants to know what the leader of the opposition thinks about the possibility of a general election.”
Reaction to a tweet of the video from ITV was split between those who thought Corbyn was being harassed and those who think the leader of the opposition should comment on what he thinks about the possibility of a general election.
Corbyn has called on the PM to set out her Brexit negotiating terms to Parliament “without delay”, in the wake of the High Court ruling that MPs should be allowed to vote on the triggering of Article 50.
In a speech to the Class thinktank in London on Saturday, called for “transparency and accountability to Parliament” about the Government’s plans for EU withdrawal.
He insisted all UK businesses should be given “assurances” over the impact of Brexit to match those made by the Government to Japanese car-maker Nissan before its announcement of new investment in Sunderland.
“We can’t have secret deals on Brexit, company by company,” Corbyn said. “All our businesses need the kind of assurances that Nissan has had about the shape of the Government’s Brexit plans to make the right investment decisions.
“Thursday’s High Court decision underlines the necessity that the Prime Minister brings the Government’s negotiating terms for Brexit to Parliament without delay.
“Labour accepts and respects the decision of the British people to leave the European Union. But there must be transparency and accountability to Parliament about the Government’s plans.
“I suspect the Government opposes democratic scrutiny of its plans because - frankly - there aren’t any plans, beyond the hollow rhetoric of ‘Brexit means Brexit’.”
Corbyn urged Chancellor Philip Hammond to use this month’s Autumn Statement to deliver “meaningful change” to back up the Prime Minister’s promises to help ordinary working-class families.
Tories had so far delivered “six wasted years of austerity and savage cuts”, while Labour is promising £500 billion of investment over a decade in infrastructure improvements to railways, housing, energy and broadband, he added.
Corbyn went on: “A country that doesn’t invest is a country that has given up – that has taken the path of managed decline. A Labour government will manage a renaissance in investment, in infrastructure and in industry.
“Labour offers a better way forward that meets the needs and aspirations of our people in 2016, not a 1980s - or even 1950s - never-never land.”
He repeated Labour pledges for full employment, a homes guarantee, security at work, strong public NHS and social care, a National Education Service, action on climate change, public ownership and control of services, cuts in inequality of income and wealth and a foreign policy with peace and justice at its heart.
And he denounced tax-dodging as “an act of vandalism” against those needing education, health services and social care, declaring: “There is nothing more unpatriotic than not paying your taxes.”
In a message to tax dodgers, he said: “A Labour government will come for you – no more turning a blind eye, no more shabby deals.”