Jeremy Corbyn defends Diane Abbott over interview gaffe: 'I'm not embarrassed in the slightest’

In an awkward interview the Shadow Home Secretary stumbled over the cost of plans to put 10,000 extra police on the street and gave several estimates of how much the new officers would cost ranging from £300,000 to £80m

Jeremy Corbyn has said he was “not embarrassed in the slightest” following a gaffe by his close ally Diane Abbott, in which she appeared confused over the party’s plan for extra police officers in Britain.

In an awkward interview with LBC’s Nick Ferrari, the Shadow Home Secretary stumbled over the cost of plans to put 10,000 extra police on the street and gave several estimates of how much the new officers would cost ranging from £300,000 to £80m.

She also made several estimates for the number of officers Labour would recruit in each year, ranging from 25,000 to 250,000.

When asked by Sky News whether he was embarrassed by the gaffe, the Labour leader, however, defended his ally and said the party had corrected the figure and that it would be “absolutely clear” in the manifesto published later this month.

“I’m not embarrassed in the slightest,” he added.

"She corrected the figure and that's the figure and it will be paid for by not going ahead with the cuts in capital gains tax.”

She later clarified her remarks in a separate interview on BBC’s Daily Politics, adding: “I do know my figures. I did seven interviews that morning and that was the seventh and I mis-spoke but I do know my figures”.

But the Conservatives seized on the interview, suggesting Ms Abbott “floundered” when quizzed on the policy. “Diane Abbott has laid bare the chaos that Britain would face if Jeremy Corbyn is voted into Downing Street,” Home Secretary Amber Rudd added.

“One of Corbyn's closest allies has clearly shown that Labour's sums don't add up, they would weaken our defences, and their nonsensical promises aren't worth the paper they are printed on.”

In the 2016 Budget it was announced that the higher rate of capital gains tax will be cut from 28 per cent to 20 per cent and the basic rate from 18 per cent to 10 per cent, costing the public purse £2.75bn over the next five years.

Mr Corbyn and his close ally Ms Abbott claim reversing this cut, if the party are elected next month, will easily fund their pledge for more police officers in England and Wales.