Corbyn erupts at journalists over ‘unacceptable behaviour’ at Labour conference

The run-in came as senior Labour figures turned their fire on the media

Jeremy Corbyn has lashed out at journalists over “unacceptable” behaviour at Labour conference amid pressure on all sides over the party’s Brexit stance.

The Labour leader expressed frustration at the scrum of reporters following him around the conference hall in Brighton to grill him on the party’s policy.

Mr Corbyn was attempting to visit different stalls outside the main conference hall, ahead of a series of crunch votes on Labour’s Brexit stance.

Addressing his “friends in the media”, he said: “This is our conference, these are our stalls... your behaviour is totally unacceptable.”

The run-in came as senior Labour figures turned their fire on journalists after internal divisions overshadowed key policy announcements at the party’s annual gathering.

An abortive attempt to oust deputy leader Tom Watson on the eve of the party conference has dominated the headlines, causing frustration in Labour ranks about the coverage of their policy announcements.

On Sunday, it also emerged that one of Mr Corbyn’s top aides, Andrew Fisher, had resigned after saying he did not believe the Labour leader would win the next general election.

Mr Corbyn released a video accusing BBC presenter Andrew Marr of establishment bias, after he was grilled over splits in his party on the flagship programme.

He claimed foreign secretary Dominic Raab, who also appeared on the show, was let off the hook over allegations about Boris Johnson’s relationship with a former model.

A BBC spokesperson added: “The story was covered during the programme on the news review.

“Every interview requires editorial decisions and Andrew focused on the interview with Dominic Raab on Thomas Cook, Iran, the Supreme Court decision and Brexit.”

Elsewhere, Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary and close ally of the Labour leader, also lashed out at the media at a fringe event hosted by The Guardian’s editor Katherine Viner.

She said: “This must be my 30th Labour party conference and I cannot remember one when the media weren’t running around like headless chickens talking about Labour splits.

“Every year. If the NEC had a discussion about whether to have chocolate biscuits or ginger nuts, people like you would say, ‘Oooh Labour splits‘.”