Jeremy Corbyn has pledged to nationalise Southern Rail in a bid to end “rip-off Britain” blighted by rising prices and cuts to services.

The leadership candidate said a Labour Government would take over the rail franchises as they expire to put them back in public ownership while addressing a crowd of over 1,700 in a campaign rally in Brighton.

He told the audience the policy could unite the Labour Party and the city’s community, as well as ending the “constant failures” of the franchise.

“If there’s one thing that can unite this party, and indeed this city, it’s campaigning to get rid of the Southern franchise and bring the railways into public ownership.”, he said

“Despite the constant failures of the GTR franchise – which includes Southern and Thameslink – they continue to make huge profits while cutting staff, cutting services and raising your ticket prices.

“Labour will put an end to rip-off Britain. We will bring the railways back into public ownership, run for people not profit.

“Southern has cut 341 services and the Government agreed to it. They should have said, ‘if you cut the services, we’ll cut you out’. But that would take a government that stood up for people.

“What is the point of a franchise agreement if a company can walk away from their commitments at no cost?”

“So a Labour government will take back the franchises that expire – and any that collapse – and put them into public ownership,”

Southern Rail has been widely criticised for delays, the cancellation of services and rising prices. It has seen rounds of strikes from staff over changes to how services are run.

Corbyn was speaking at the latest in a series of campaign rallies which have drawn thousands to show their support for his leadership.

Corbyn will go head to head with challenger Owen Smith tomorrow in a hustings event in Cardiff organised by the Labour Party as the mood between the two campaigns becomes increasingly bad-tempered over the timing and arrangements for other debates.