Jeremy Corbyn responds angrily to question about Virgin Trains: 'We're here to talk about the NHS'

'We’re discussing the NHS, can we have an NHS question'

Jeremy Corbyn gave an angry response during a televised news conference after being repeatedly questioned about the ongoing row with Virgin Trains over the Labour leader's claim that a service he was travelling on was "ram-packed".

Asked whether “he could go back to this train issue”, Mr Corbyn, who looked visibly irritated by the line of questioning, responded: “Well no, can we move on please. We’re discussing the NHS, can we have an NHS question.”

The Sky News reporter continued: “Jeremy we live in a free country, I’m entitled to ask you a question… I want to ask, not what you want me to ask you."

Mr Corbyn, taking off his glasses and exhaling irritably, retorted: "I'm glad you've watched the CCTV so carefully. It's a really important issue this. Absolutely crucial to the whole nation and the future and the NHS.

"But, let's get to the details of it. Yes I did walk through the train. Yes I did look for two empty seats together so I could sit down with my wife to talk to her.

"That wasn't possible and so I went to the end of the train. The train manager, who was a very nice gentleman, came along and we had a very nice chat about the problems of overcrowding... he then very kindly did find some seats and after 42 minutes I went back through the train to the seats he had allocated."

Mr Corbyn became embroiled in a row with Virgin Trains on Tuesday after CCTV images released by the company appeared to show the Labour leader walking past empty, unreserved train seats before he was filmed sitting on the floor complaining about "ram-packed" carriages.

The party leader later found an unreserved seat to sit in as he travelled on the three-hour 11am Virgin Trains service from London King's Cross to Newcastle on August 11.

Sir Richard Branson, who co-owns Virgin Trains with Stagecoach, intervened in the row, posting a link to the CCTV images on his Twitter account.

Mr Corbyn's campaign team said he was unable to find unreserved seats for his group so sat with other passengers in the corridor, before seats became available later in the journey.

But Virgin Media said it was "puzzled" by the suggestion the Islington MP was unable to find unreserved seats when he boarded the train because CCTV images appeared to show "they're right next to him".