Jeremy Corbyn refused to condemn the IRA in an interview with Sky News on Sunday.

When asked by journalist Sophy Ridge if he would "unequivocally" condemn the Irish Republican Army, he instead denounced only their violent actions, replying: "Look, bombing is wrong, all bombing is wrong, of course I condemn it."

Ridge pushed for a direct condemnation of the group as a whole six times.

The IRA was an Irish parliamentary organisation that fought for a unified Ireland, aiming to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom. The group often resorted to terrorism, with car bombings and other violent attacks killing hundreds.

According to The Telegraph, the MI5 opened a file on Jeremy Corbyn in the 90s amid concerns over his links to the organisation.

The publication claims the politician was tied to the bomb-maker thought to be behind the Hyde Park and Regent's Park attacks, which killed 11 people in total.

The report also says Corbyn shared a platform with an IRA killer and, according to John McDonnell, used to "pin people against the wall" in the House of Commons to lobby them on behalf of Ireland.

Speaking to Sky News, he insisted his backing of high-profile IRA figures was key to achieving peace in Northern Ireland.

"I recognised that you had to bring about a peace process in Ireland. I did my best to assist in that process... You have to talk to people with whom you don't agree," he said, noting that he met and worked with both loyalists and IRA figures.

Despite The Telegraph's claims, support for Corbyn and the Labour Party has been surging.

The most recent polls show it trailing just nine points behind the Conservatives, a significant improvement in comparison to earlier figures.