Jeremy Corbyn slammed Owen Smith for offering him a job that “doesn’t exist” and “wasn’t his gift to give” on the BBC's Question Time programme.
Mr Corbyn sarcastically thanked Mr Smith saying it was “really generous” of him to offer the role of party president if he chose to step down.
The comment received the loudest laugh of the night as the two Labour leadership hopefuls clashed in front of a packed audience in Oldham.
Mr Corbyn is on record as having declining the offer in the past, saying he believes that Labour does not need a president of the party.
“It sounds to me a bit like a director of football”, he told the BBC.
Mr Smith had offered Mr Corbyn the role, promising he could stand unopposed. He said Mr Corbyn had helped Labour to “rediscover its radical roots” and could appeal to the wider party membership as he seeks to unify the party.
The results of the Labour leadership election will be announced on 24 September.
