Jeremy Corbyn was left red-faced after his claim that he'd received a supportive message from Bernie Sanders was denied by the US senator.
It comes after the Labour leader told supporters at a phone bank on Monday evening in Walthamstow that the former Democratic hopeful for President had been in touch with his aides to draw parallels between their left-wing campaigns.
But a spokesman for Mr Sanders, who was beaten by Hillary Clinton in the Democratic nominations, told the Huffington Post: “The senator didn't send a message and doesn't intend to get involved in British politics but he admires Mr Corbyn and wishes him well.”
Of Mr Sanders supposed message, according to the Press Association, Mr Corbyn had said: “We had a message yesterday from Bernie Sanders saying that they condemned him because he wasn’t electable.
“And he said the reason they condemned him was because he was electable. And he represented a threat to the establishment within the USA.”
“So I think you can see the parallels that are going on there,” he added.
Responding to the intervention by Sanders’ camp, a spokesperson for the Labour leader said: "Jeremy was misinformed by an aide, who had wrongly been led to believe this was the case.” But, they added, despite the message not being sent, aides of the Vermont Senator were due to come and work on Mr Corbyn's campaign.
Mr Corbyn, who is currently engaged in a bitter battle with his former shadow work and pensions Secretary Owen Smith for leadership of the party, was speaking to volunteers at a phone bank in Ghousia community centre, East London, where supporters were making the case for the Labour chief to remain in his post.
It comes after a row - dubbed “traingate” on social media - involving Jeremy Corbyn and Richard Branson’s Virgin Trains intensified after CCTV footage emerged appearing to contract initial claims that Mr Corbyn was forced to sit on the floor on a service from London to Newcastle because there were no free seats.
