'How can you win an election?' Nick Robinson rips into 'deluded' Corbyn in Radio 4 spat
BBC reporter Nick Robinson hit out at the evasive Labour leader after he sarcastically called Today on Radio 4 "the most important radio programme on the entire planet".
Jeremy Corbyn's snide remarks about Today Programme
During a tense combative interview, Mr Robinson called out Mr Corbyn for avoiding the mainstream media.
He told the struggling Labour leader: "If you can't do the BBC, how can you win an election?"
The shocking interview marked the first time Mr Corbyn had spoken to the Today programme since the Labour leadership contest began - and even then the interview was pre-recorded at one of his rallies.
Mr Corbyn has not been interviewed live on the Radio 4 programme in the year since his election.
Mr Robinson criticised Mr Corbyn's evasiveness, prompting the left-wing leader to sarcastically respond: "With the deepest and greatest respect to the Today programme, I know it's the most important radio programme on the planet but it's not the only radio programme."
He continued to mock the BBC and just before he left Mr Corbyn added: "Can I wish the Today programme all the best?"
The testy exchange comes as the beleaguered leader looks overwhelmingly likely to sweep to victory in the Labour leadership contest.
However, Mr Corbyn's Labour rule still lags behind the Conservatives in poll ratings.
With the deepest and greatest respect to the Today programme, I know it's the most important radio programme on the planet
The BBC reporter pointed out that leaders who attracted hordes of people - like Mr Corbyn - often failed to translate the rallies into election wins.
The Labour leader has been often criticised for "hiding behind" his passionate rallies and social media support.
This comes as ex-leader Neil Kinnock said Labour was unelectable under Mr Corbyn and that the leader had mistaken the enthusiasm of his backers for wider electoral appeal.
Lord Kinnock doubted whether he would see another Labour government in his lifetime.
But, Mr Corbyn claimed the huge crowds attending his rallies showed that he could win an election.
He said that tens of thousands of people had attended his rallies over the summer, which showed there was a real “interest in politics".
Social media were left outraged after the interview, attacking the leader for his "arrogance" and "delusion".
Labour MP Chris Bryant tweeted after the interview: "A politician moaning about the mainstream media is like a fisherman complaining about the sea."
Another user wrote: "Corbyn's comments are those of a man drunk on the size of his social movement with no grasp of how to win an election."
Stunned journalists also reported that "Corbyn's ego is on a different planet" while others criticised him for "giving next level snark".
Despite the hostile exchange, Mr Corbyn told the BBC that he will "reach out" to Labour MPs if he is re-elected as the party's leader this week.
He said: "I have made it my business to talk to quite a lot of Labour MPs and will continue to do so and I hope they will understand that we've been elected as Labour MPs.
"It doesn't mean everybody agrees on everything all the time - that I understand - but the general direction of opposition to austerity, opposing the Tories on grammar schools, those are actually the kind of things that unite the party."