PM's jibe about 'alone and naked' Jeremy Corbyn 'totally inappropriate'

Jeremy Corbyn has criticised Theresa May's "totally inappropriate" suggestion he would find himself "alone and naked" in Brexit negotiations if he becomes prime minister.

The Prime Minister has tried to get the Tories' election campaign back on track by focusing on her core areas of leadership and Brexit negotiations while attacking Mr Corbyn's readiness for government.

But the Labour leader stressed his party's approach to Brexit talks would prove a success as unlike Mrs May he is not "threatening" the European Union.

Mr Corbyn said Labour stands ready to start negotiations "immediately" after the election.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer has already visited "most" European capitals and met representatives from the European Commission and European Parliament, he added.

Asked about the PM's "alone and naked" comment, Mr Corbyn told a Westminster press conference: "I certainly wouldn't use language like that myself, I think it's totally inappropriate to describe anyone as naked, even me.

"We will approach the negotiations as I have set out, in a very serious way, primarily to gain and continue this tariff-free access to the European market.

"But we're not approaching the negotiations by threatening Europe, by threatening that if you don't give us everything we want on day one, we're going to walk away, slash corporation tax, give lots of giveaways to very big corporations in order to set up some kind of rival tax haven on the shores of Europe.

"We are leaving the European Union, we're still going to have to have a relationship with Europe in the future and that will be the basis of our negotiations.

"And so we will approach them obviously immediately after the election, obviously, on that principled basis."

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