Jeremy Corbyn’s Momentum pressure group mocks crippled British troops with sick toys and comics
The Labour leader spoke at Momentum’s four day-long event yesterday - The World Transformed - running alongside Labour’s annual conference
A HARD left rally run by Jeremy Corbyn’s personal pressure group sparked uproar last night by selling paraphernalia mocking crippled British troops.
The hapless leftie spoke at Momentum’s four day-long event yesterday - The World Transformed - running alongside Labour’s annual conference.
Outside its main auditorium in Liverpool, a stall was openly selling books and leaflets abusing hero British troops maimed in war.
One comic book was entitled: “Join the Army - free prosthetic limbs!”
And another leaflet with a photo of an Action Man doll in a wheel chair on its front read: “Paralysed Action Man.”
The revelation followed anger with Mr Corbyn personally earlier yesterday when the newly re-elected Labour leader insisted an Iraq war crimes probe - labelled a witch hunt by MPs - must continue.
Quizzed on BBC1’s Andrew Marr Programme on whether he agreed with Tony Blair that setting up Iraq Historical Allegations Team was a mistake, Mr Corbyn said: “I think there has to be investigations.
“There has to be a recognition that we have signed up for international law on the behaviour of troops. Saying never to prosecute I think would be a step too far."
Momentum and Mr Corbyn last night faced furious calls from across the political divide to take down the stand, run by anti-military comic book writer Darren Cullen.
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Critics insisted it made a mockery of the newly elected leader’s pledge to deliver a “gentler, kinder politics”.
Prominent Labour MP and former Parachute Regiment officer Dan Jarvis said: "The sale of this merchandise is extremely disrespectful to our armed forces and veterans who provide outstanding service to our country.
“It is utterly unacceptable that those who have been injured in the service of our country should be pilloried in this way.
“This kind of behaviour has no place inside a civilised political party - it should be withdrawn immediately."
Former Army officer and Tory MP Johnny Mercer branded the stall’s owners “Britain hating anarchists who know the value of nothing”.
Mr Corbyn also attacked government plans for a major expansion of MI6 to tackle the international terror threat.
The Labour boss – re-elected by an even bigger landslide on Saturday of 62% of the contest’s voters –said a major recruitment drive to boost the foreign spy service’s numbers by 1,000 was "not particularly necessary".
He added: "I think there has to be obviously security for everybody, but I’m unclear as to why they want to be so much bigger”.
Conservative Party Chairman Patrick McLoughlin said Mr Corbyn’s outbursts on security yesterday was proof that Labour is “no friends of our troops”.
In a thinly veiled attack on Mr Corbyn, former Labour shadow cabinet member Chuka Umunna called on the party to show its patriotism more.
Former leadership contender Mr Umunna added: "We are as patriotic as anyone else. The national anthem and armed service support should never be exclusive to the Tories.
"It was Ernest Bevin and Clement Attlee who were integral to the formation of NATO.
"Providing decent security is as much a Labour value as a Tory one."
The sick stall overshadowed an announcement by Mr Corbyn's frontbench team to help wounded troops last night.
Shadow ministers Barry Gardiner and Clive Lewis unveiled Labour's Homes Fit For Heroes programme, under which disabled vets will receive free energy efficiency measures to keep their homes warm.