Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Politics
Ted Hennessey

Jeremy Corbyn would consider giving Chequers to homeless family if he becomes prime minister

Jeremy Corbyn has said he would give Chequers to a homeless family if he wins the General Election on December 12.

The Labour leader has followed on from John McDonnell, who said he would do the same with 11 Downing Street, if he becomes chancellor.​

The sixteenth-century residence in Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, is the prime minister's country residence. Theresa May sought cabinet agreement for her Brexit plan there in 2018.

In an interview with ITV's Julie Etchingham, Mr Corbyn was asked: "Would you consider giving up Chequers if you were Prime Minister?"

He replied: "I would indeed. It can't be right. We're a country with 150 billionaires, and we've still got people sleeping on the streets."

Chequers is the country retreat for the Prime Minister(PA Archive/PA Images)

During the interview, Mr Corbyn, an MP since 1983, also appeared to admit he did not know when the Queen's message is aired on Christmas Day.

Asked whether he sat down to watch the Queen's annual message, he said: "It's on in the morning, usually we have it on."

Ms Etchingham corrected him, saying: "It's not on in the morning. It's at three o'clock in the afternoon."

Mr Corbyn replied by saying he and his family "don't watch television very much on Christmas Day", choosing to visit homeless shelters instead.

Pressed on whether he usually watches the monarch's public addresses, the 70-year-old said: "There is lots to do. I enjoy the presence of my family and friends around Christmas. Obviously, like everybody else does.

"And, I also visit the homeless shelter, either on Christmas Day, or the day before, to talk to, and listen to people's lives, about how they could be made better with a government that cared for them."

http://players.brightcove.net/1348423965/default_default/index.html?videoId=6112908593001

He also apologised again for anti-Semitism in the Labour party, saying: "Anti-Semitism is a vile evil in our society. I am not a racist, in any form - I've spent my life opposing racism.

"And, I think the treatment of Jewish people that suffer from anti-Semitism is appalling.

"And where there's been delays by my party in instituting a process, of course, I apologise to those that suffered as a result of it."

Mr Corbyn - who has campaigned for decades for a solution for the Palestinian people - said Israel had a right to exist.

The full programme - The Leader Interviews: Jeremy Corbyn - Tonight - will air on ITV at 7.30pm on Thursday.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.