Theresa May takes swipe at Jeremy Corbyn as she makes patriotic plea to Labour voters and promises to deliver on Brexit

THERESA MAY accused Jeremy Corbyn of not “believing in Britain like me” yesterday as she delivered a patriotic plea to wavering Labour voters to trust her on delivering Brexit.

The Prime Minister urged working class Brits to support her in leading the “great national effort” as she launched a whistle-stop tour of the traditional Labour heartlands of Teesside, Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

She took her “promise of Brexit” to the pro-Leave regions yesterday – urging Labour voters to put behind the “tribal politics” of the past.

Speaking directly to non-Tories, the PM said: “people can have faith in me because I have faith in them.”

She vowed: “I believe in the British people. I believe that with determination, ingenuity and common sense, we can use this moment of great national change to shape a better future for Britain. So this is the time to choose.”

As the polls showed Jeremy Corbyn closing the gap, the PM delivered a tub thumping speech on Britain’s our future “free from the shackles of EU control”.

With our divorce talks set to begin within days of the election, Mrs May said that the opportunities outside the bloc are “enormous”.

And she claimed next week’s General Election was a chance reaffirm last year’s Brexit vote, but warned “the brighter future we want for our country will not just happen.”

Mrs May told supporters at digger plant Case Construction, Teeside that: “This great national moment needs a great national effort in which we pull together with a unity of purpose and – however we voted in the referendum last June – we come together with a determination to make a success of the years ahead.”

And she turned her fire on Eurocrats and pro-EU parties who “say we’re too small and too insignificant. That Britain can’t do it. That the British people are not up to the task.”

But the PM saved her most fiery criticism for Labour rival Jeremy Corbyn – who she claimed did not believe in Britain so could not deliver Brexit.

She blasted: “what we know in this election is that the only other person that can be Prime Minister in seven days’ time is simply not up to the job.

“He doesn’t believe in Britain.

“He doesn’t have a plan.

“He doesn’t have what it takes.”

Reflecting on Wednesday’s leader’s TV showdown – that Mrs May swerved – she said: “11 days after the election when the negotiations begin, Jeremy Corbyn’s focus wouldn’t be on trying to negotiate a deal for Britain in Europe, but on trying to stitch up a deal with Nicola Sturgeon and the rest.”

Probed if she had watched the seven way TV debate, Mrs May would only say that she thought Home Secretary Amber Rudd – who stood in for her – did “a great job.”

As the PM and her election entourage prepared for a day zig zagging on a series of campaign stops across the North East, Mrs May said: “You can only deliver for Britain if you have the strength, the plan and the determination to see it through.”

And she heaped praise on Leave voters who she said acted “with determination and characteristically British quiet resolve.”

She planted herself firmly on the side of those who “defied the establishment, ignored the threats and made their voice heard.”

And looking to the future, Mrs May said “Because the promise of Brexit is great, the opportunities before us enormous.”

“Because if we get Brexit right, then together we can do great things.

“We can build a Britain beyond Brexit that is stronger, fairer and more prosperous than it is today.”

And she painted a colourful picture of “a Britain beyond Brexit that is more global and outward-looking.

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“A Britain alive with possibilities, more confident in itself, more united and more secure.

“A country our children and grandchildren are proud to call home.”

Blitzing three counties on her election battlebus, Mrs May targeted big Labour majorities in opposition held seats in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

Her tour took the Tory campaign through Labour leadership contender Yvette Cooper’s Pontefract constituency in a direct challenge to her long-time rival.

She met workers in Hemsworth, the seat of Shadow Cabinet minister Jon Trickett, and last night addressed party faithful at a rally in ex-Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett’s constituency of Derby South.

Mrs May rallied hundreds of party supporters at Derby County FC’s Pride Park stadium – warning them they had just six days to stop Labour.

On board her election battle bus, the PM told The Sun her she has personal connection to the Labour heartlands where she first stood as a candidate in 1992.

Reflecting on an unsuccessful tilt at Parliament in 1992, she said: “When I was standing in country Durham is people here put great pride in their region, they’re hugely patriotic and they want to see a better future for their children and they want a government on their side and recognises all of that.”

“Some of them may well feel that Labour has left them behind.”

And she said there were no no go areas for the Conservatives any more, adding: “I‘ve always believed in campaigning everywhere actually, it’s always been one of my things.

She added: “I remember one of the first times I stood as a councillors in London and someone said ‘oh don’t go on that estate’, and I said ‘no, we campaign everywhere, we canvass everywhere.’”

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