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Jeremy Corbyn: I am not being unpatriotic by questioning British foreign wars after Manchester attack

Jeremy Corbyn - REUTERS
Jeremy Corbyn - REUTERS

Jeremy Corbyn has denied he is being unpatriotic by claiming that the deployment of British troops overseas is linked to the suicide bombing of a pop concert in Manchester.

The Labour leader said in a speech today: “We cannot carry on as though nothing happened in Manchester this week. So, let the quality of our debate, over the next fortnight, be worthy of the country we are proud to defend.

“Let’s have our arguments without impugning anyone’s patriotism and without diluting the unity with which we stand against terror.”

Mr Corbyn also said that as Prime Minister he would only deploy British troops in the world's trouble sports when he knows that the outcome will "deliver lasting peace".

In a message to soldiers, he said: "So, I would like to take a moment to speak to our soldiers on the streets of Britain. You are doing your duty as you have done so many times before.

"I want to assure you that, under my leadership, you will only be deployed abroad when there is a clear need and only when there is a plan and you have the resources to do your job to secure an outcome that delivers lasting peace."

Mr Corbyn point to “the connections between wars our government has supported or fought in other countries and terrorism here at home” in a speech in central London.

The comments, coming just days after the bomb which killed 22 people at the Manchester Arena have risked claims of insensitivity against Mr Corbyn.

The suicide bomber Salman Abedi is believed to have travelled to Syria and become radicalised before returning to the UK.  The son of Libyan parents, he is thought to have come back to Britain from Libya just days before the massacre.

Last night it was reported that he was motivated by a desire to "seek victory" for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) after becoming angered by air strikes against the group in Syria.

Mr Corbyn has been a consistent opponent of British military intervention and recently said that Britain has not fought a just conflict since 1945.

In parliament he voted against the 2003 war in Iraq, the deployment of troops in Afghanistan in 2010 and the establishment of a no-fly zone over Libya in 2011.

He has repeatedly voted against anti-terror legislation since he became an MP in 1983.