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Jeremy Corbyn today declared war on "crooked financiers" and told Britain to "take our wealth back" in a storming launch of Labour's general election campaign.

The Labour leader warned there will be "a reckoning" for the greedy if he wins power on June 8 and vowed to stop Tories who "rig the system for the rich".

Mr Corbyn was surrounded by members of his shadow cabinet on the stage in Manchester but gave a speech that stuck solidly to his personal record.

"Today I say to tax cheats, the rip-off bosses and the greedy bankers, enough is enough!" he declared.

And he told voters: "Don’t wake on up on 9 June to see celebrations from the tax cheats, the press barons, the greedy bankers, Philip Green, the Southern Rail directors and crooked financiers that take our wealth, who have got away with it because the party they own, the Conservative Party, has won.

"We have four weeks to ruin their party! We have four weeks to have a chance to take our wealth back."

Mr Corbyn was introduced by Coronation Street and Broadchurch actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who said he stood for her "deeply-held socialist beliefs".

She told cheering activists they had 30 days to save the NHS and create "a society that truly gives a toss about stuff".

(Image: PA) (Image: Anthony Devlin)

And he was joined on stage by Andy Burnham, who last week missed a photocall with the leader on the evening of his election as metro mayor of Greater Manchester.

The Labour leader admitted his party faces a "challenge" after losing more than 300 seats in last week's local elections.

He said voters were "sceptical and undecided", adding: "Who can blame them? People are alienated from Westminster."

But he said he was "expecting hostility" from newspaper proprietor Rupert Murdoch.

He added: "Labour is under attack because we are standing up to the elites who are determined to hijack Brexit and pay even less tax and take even more of the wealth that we create.”

(Image: Anthony Devlin)

Despite dire polls giving the Tories their biggest lead since the 1980s, Mr Corbyn said: "We’re fighting to win this election.

“When we win, the British people win. The nurse, the teacher, the small trader, the carer, the builder, the office worker. They all win.”

He added: “Theresa May thinks she can dodge the Tory record."

Reeling off policies from the Bedroom Tax to disability benefit cuts, he said: “Does she think people will forget how the Tories have actually treated working people?

The Labour leader sought to neutralise the Brexit issue which Theresa May and Tim Farron have put at the heart of their campaigns.

"This election isn't about Brexit itself," he said. "That issue has been settled.

"The question now is what sort of Brexit do we want - and what sort of country do we want Britain to be after Brexit?

"Labour wants a jobs-first Brexit . A Brexit that safeguards the future of Britain's vital industries, a Brexit that paves the way to a genuinely fairer society, protecting human rights, and an upgraded economy."

(Image: Getty)

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Mr Corbyn said that in the coming days Labour would be spelling out the details of a "plan for Britain" to transform the country and change an economy which was "still rigged in favour of the rich and powerful".

He said: "In this election, Labour is standing for decent jobs, investment for the future, shared wealth creation, security at work, affordable homes for all, a fully funded NHS and schools, training and skills, an end to rip-off privatisation, fair taxation and a fairer, more equal country.

"As we set out our detailed plans for Britain, the scale of the change we are offering will become clear.

"So let's turn our country around. Let's come together to transform Britain. Together, we can win for the many not the few."

He said Britain's 1,000 richest people had seen their wealth grow by 14% in a year, to a pot six times bigger than the NHS budget.

“Imagine the outcry if public sector workers decided to put in for a 14% pay rise!" he said.

(Image: Getty) (Image: Getty)

The Tory party's chairman slammed Mr Corbyn's "angry" speech for not mentioning the deficit or immigration.

Patrick McLoughlin said: “This angry, divisive and chaotic speech makes clear the choice at this election – strong and stable leadership with Theresa May, or uncosted, nonsensical policies from Jeremy Corbyn.

“He didn’t mention the deficit or controlling immigration – because he’d wreck our economy with higher taxes and more debt.

“And he’s too weak to stand up to the leaders of 27 EU countries in Brexit negotiations – whereas every vote for Theresa May strengthens her hand to get the good deal this country needs.”