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Jeremy Corbyn was given a hero’s welcome in Durham today as he addressed a record breaking crowd at the 133rd Big Meeting.

The Labour leader took to the microphone at the annual Durham Miners’ Gala to chants of “Oh Jeremy Corbyn”.

He told the crowd that in June’s general election the party offered “something different” by pledging to end austerity, invest in schools and bring communities together.

Mr Corbyn said: “I want to help these Tories out of their nightmare. Feel free at any time to resign and we’ll have another general election.

“In the general election campaign that just concluded, the Labour vote went up by three million. The biggest increase in the vote since 1945.

“That didn’t happen because of the kindness of the press barons but because of the decency and generosity of the people across this country, who saw the need to do things differently and better.”

Mr Corbyn went on to praise the North East Labour MPs who retained their seats in the election such as Wansbeck MP and party chair Ian Lavery.

He also welcomed the newly elected MPs too, including North West Durham’s Laura Pidcock and Blaydon’s Liz Twist.

Mr Corbyn told the crowd: “We can achieve so much, we can change the face of the country and give opportunities to young people. Our strength and solidity achieve these things.”

In his closing speech to rapturous applause, the Labour leader criticised Prime Minister Theresa May over her meeting with US President Donald Trump at the G20 summit.

He said: “I was asked today what I’d be saying. I’d say we live on one planet, we inherited the planet from those before us, it is not ours to damage. It’s ours to protect and preserve.

“So don’t walk away from the achievement of the Paris climate change accord, walk towards it and we will all live in a safer planet in the future.”

Mr Corbyn also dismissed Labour would sign a “special trade deal” with the US, which he said would important bad working conditions, export unemployment and bring poor quality products to our homes.

Earlier, British film director Ken Loach and shadow education secretary Angela Rayner were among the speakers to also address the crowd at Durham Racecourse.

Organisers said that around 200,00 were expected to attend the gala, which is the biggest annual celebration of trade unionism in the UK.

After the speeches ended, people headed to Durham Cathedral for the traditional blessing of the banners service.