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Jeremy Corbyn has welcomed Labour’s victory in the Peterborough by-election, saying the party’s success was based on an offer of ‘hope’.

And he said his party should be written off “at your peril.”

The Labour leader visited Peterborough this morning to congratulate newly elected MP Lisa Forbes, who denied Nigel Farage’s Brexit party victory by 683 votes last night.

The result saw the Conservative Party pushed into third place.

Mr Corbyn said he was “very proud” of Ms Forbes’ victory.

(Image: PA)

“We carried on with a very clear message on austerity and bringing communities together.

“This by the way is the worst result in ever in the history of Peterborough for the Conservatives. That shows that our message of investment, our message got through.

“We’ve got an excellent Labour MP and we’re very proud.“

He added: ”What we did was offer the politics of hope, not the politics of fear.

”We offered the politics of hope to end austerity, to fund our schools properly, to employ our police properly, to give our young people a future in this country.

"Everybody, all the experts wrote Lisa off. All the experts wrote Labour off yesterday. Write Labour off at your peril.

"We are strong, we are very determined to offer that politics that invests in decent services, in decent housing, in decent healthcare and in good quality jobs for the future and a relationship with Europe that doesn't take us over a cliff edge but protects jobs, protects investment and gives our young people a future."

(Image: Getty Images)

Asked if the victory was a vindication of his position on Brexit, Mr Corbyn said: “Our Brexit message has been that we have to bring people and communities together, and as I said in my short speech...there has to be a relationship with the European Union which does ensure the protection of jobs.

“But there also has to be a future in which young people have confidence. That means investment in education, investment in the community. That is exactly what the Labour message is about.”

And on the prospect of a Second Brexit referendum, he added: “Obviously every party discusses its position and its own strategy.

“The reality is you’ve got the Tory Party leadership contenders, all of whom are competing for how to take us over the edge in which they do not know where it’s going to go to. I’ve said all along that we would put to Parliament our proposals for a customs union, a trade relationship and a dynamic protection of consumer and working rights. We will continue to do that.

“And, as our conference resolution was agreed last September, we would then be prepared to put that to a public vote. We’re not at that stage yet when where Parliament has actually voted on that and I think it would be much better if there was a general election. Because we have a government with no majority and a Conservative Party...that has no unity in it whatsoever.

“I’m not going to predict what’s going to be Labour’s general election policy. I’m not a dictator, I’m the leader of the party, that’s the difference.”

Ms Forbes said the "hard work starts now", adding that she wants to address issues in education as well as fly-tipping and littering.

The by-election was called after Peterborough's previous MP Fiona Onasanya was forced out after she was jailed for lying about a speeding offence.

Onasanya was elected as a Labour MP in 2017 with a wafer-thin majority of 607 but was suspended from the party after she was sentenced.