Jeremy Corbyn has warned rebel MPs they will never be able to take the Labour Party's name if they force a semi-split.

Responding to reports in The Telegraph that dissenting MPs are preparing to elect their own leader and launch a legal challenge for the party's name and assets if Owen Smith fails to win the battle for the top job, Mr Corbyn branded the situation "bizarre".

"We are getting into some fairly bizarre territory here where unnamed MPs, funded from unnamed sources, are apparently trying to challenge - via the Daily Telegraph, very interesting - the very existence of this party.

"I say to them: 'think on, and think again'. This party was founded by brave people, pioneers who achieved a great deal, and this party has a huge membership and under the Registration of Parties Act we are the Labour Party.

"There's no alternative, there's no other party, we are the Labour Party, and I'm very proud to be the leader of the Labour Party," Mr Corbyn said.

Mr Corbyn denied his leadership could trigger a split, saying: "Sorry, this is nonsense, whoever is saying my leadership is leading to a break-up of the party? Since I became leader membership has doubled, activity has increased."