Labour facing greater media hostility than 'ever before’, says Jeremy Corbyn

Labour is facing greater hostility from the media “than we’ve probably ever had before”, Jeremy Corbyn has claimed during a four-day campaigning visit to Scotland.

The remarks from the Labour leader came after the party formally lodged a complaint with the press regulator Ipso, over coverage of Mr Corbyn’s laying of a wreath at a Tunisian cemetery.

In the highly unusual move, party officials argued that several publications had misrepresented the 2014 event and those it was intended to commemorate.

In comments at a separate event, Mr Corbyn also said he was “very confident” of gaining Scottish seats at the next general election after the party gained six seats at the 2017 vote.

Appearing at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, alongside the Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis, Mr Corbyn was asked by an attendee if there was a fear that Labour was not getting nearer to power.

“Labour has more members than we’ve ever had before, more activists than we’ve ever had before,” he replied.

“We have greater hostility from the mainstream media than we’ve probably ever had before but I think we are in a strong position to keep people united around the agenda we put forward on social justice transformation, challenging and ending inequality in Britain and giving people hope of what can be achieved.”

Mr Corbyn, who is expected to deliver a speech later this week on journalism, was also pressed on recent pressures on his leadership of the party by another member of the audience at the sold out event, “The Resurgence of Socialism”, in Edinburgh.

“I’m absolutely fine,” the Labour leader replied.

He added: “There are pressures, of course, and there are abusive remarks that are made, but real pressure is when you can’t feed your children, real pressure is when you’re about to lose your home or working in an understaffed hospital.

“Political representatives have to absorb a lot of pressure but you’ve got to recognise real life pressure that lots of people are under in a system that is grotesquely unfair.”

Mr Corbyn also told those present: “I wish to God we had won the general election, I did everything I personally could to make sure we won that general election, but I tell you what – next time we’re going to do it even better and even bigger and what’s more we’re going to win it.”