Jeremy Corbyn has claimed he is living “rent free” inside Rishi Sunak’s head – as he hit back at the prime minister’s “tedious smears” against him.
The former Labour leader criticised Mr Sunak for giving a “wholly inaccurate representation” of his 2019 agenda on national security during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Mr Corbyn, who now sits as an independent MP after being suspended from the Labour party, also asked Mr Sunak to correct the record and to “accurately reflect” his views rather than deliver “inventions made up by him or his office”.
Politics live: Home Secretary visits Manston migration centre
Mr Sunak has pledged to use Sir Keir Starmer’s support for Mr Corbyn’s leadership, before he stepped down and took over, as an attack line in PMQs.
On Wednesday, the prime minister claimed Mr Corbyn’s “national security agenda” included “abolishing our armed forces, scrapping the nuclear deterrent, withdrawing from NATO, voting against every single anti-terror law we tried, and befriending Hamas and Hezbollah”.
But Mr Corbyn said Mr Sunak gave him no advance notice of the plan to reference him at PMQs and noted this was against the conventions of the House.
Mr Corbyn told deputy speaker Nigel Evans: “He gave a wholly inaccurate representation of the 2019 election manifesto, which he must have been fully well aware of because he took part in many debates concerning the content of that manifesto during the election campaign.”
He added: “Could you guide me on how the prime minister could correct the record?
“And if I’m going to live rent free in his head at least he could accurately reflect what I think and what I say rather than inventions made up by him or his office.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Rishi Sunak faced his second Prime Minister’s Questions, but who came out on top in the chamber?
Mr Evans said MPs are responsible for the content of their contributions in the chamber, adding: “In respect of what is said in the House, parliamentary privilege allows all members the right of free speech to ensure we can represent our constituents and express our views without fear or favour.
“But this is a right we must exercise with great responsibility so the Treasury bench will have heard that point of order and I’m sure it’ll be passed on to the prime minister.”
Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt recognised the need for MPs to give each other notice about plans to reference them in their speeches.
She warned Mr Corbyn that he should be prepared to be discussed, as well as Sir Keir’s support for him and his 2019 manifesto, “on at least a weekly basis”.
Read More:
Starmer blames Tories for ‘broken’ asylum system in PMQs clash
Starmer faces renewed calls to let Corbyn stand as Labour candidate at next election
She said: “If he’d like to help correct the record he could publish the manifesto that he stood on, which would have weakened this country and dismantled NATO.”
Mr Corbyn replied: “The manifesto is freely available.
“Had it resulted in a Labour government we would not have such poverty, such food banks and such misery in this country today.”
He later tweeted the manifesto, saying “if the PM wants to solve the cost-of-living crisis, may I suggest he starts here”.
He added: “Rishi Sunak gave a wholly inaccurate representation of me and my views. I have asked him to correct the record – and stop these tedious smears.”