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Jeremy Corbyn told a packed rally in Leicester that Theresa May was taking the country for fools.

He said: "She talks about building a fair society. Does she think people will forget what the Tories have done to this country, how they've actually treated working people?"

In a storming speech the Labour leader listed off the Tories' devastating record in government including the bedroom tax , tuition fee rises and taking money away from disabled people.

He said: "Does she think people will forget what the Tories have done to this country, how they've actually treated working people?

"This Tory leader sat alongside David Cameron in government for six years."

(Image: Matt Cardy)

Mr Corbyn addd: "The Tories are hoping everyone has short memories."

Throughout the campaign Mrs May has repeatedly appeared to leave the Conservative Party off her posters and adverts.

Today Mr Corbyn suggested that the Tory leader was embarrassed about her government's record.

But he emphasised Theresa May's role in a government which closed Sure Start Centres, starved schools of cash and opened the NHS to be plundered by profiteers.

He asked the crowd at Leicester Tigers' Welford Road Stadium: "What was fair about giving big business and the richest in society tax giveaways worth tens of billions of pounds - while the rest of us were told to tighten our belts, to accept a big dose of austerity?"

(Image: PA Wire)

In a packed room in Leicester Mr Corbyn told supporters that the party faced 'a huge challenge in the next five weeks' but said the general election also presented an opportunity.

He described it as: "a chance to break free, to create a society in which people are no longer held back by a system that is rigged for the rich."

Mr Corbyn also warned about the Prime Minister's dangerous approach to the Brexit negotiations,

He set out how the Labour Party would do things differently.

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

The Labour leader admitted this week's local election results were 'disappointing' and said that his party lost 'too many fantastic councillors, who work tirelessly for their communities'.

His speech came after the Labour Party lost more than 300 councils seats as the Tories made massive gains.

The party suffered devastating losses across the country including losing the Tees Valley metro mayor vote in its North East heartland , losing out on the same job in the West Midlands and losing control of Glasgow city council for the first time in nearly 40 years.

But rallying his troops, Mr Corbyn said that Thursday's vote had shown that the gap between the Tories and Labour was not as big as polling had suggested.

"We know from yesterday’s election results that the gap between us and the Tories is not as great as the pundits have been saying," he said today.

He admitted that they had a tough fight ahead but said: "we are ready for the challenge".

He also threw down the gauntlet to Theresa May accusing her of running scared from debating him on TV.

Mr Corbyn said: "I have a message for Theresa May. If you feel the need to go on about what a great leader you are, then show it by debating with me in this election campaign."

A passionate Mr Corbyn insisted that Labour would be different from the Tories saying: "When we win, we form the NHS.

"When we win, we introduce the Equal Pay Act.

"When we win we establish a National Minimum Wage - one of my proudest days in politics.

"When we win, the British people win. The nurse, the teacher, the small trader, the carer, the builder, the office worker win."

Mr Corbyn finished by issuing a stark warning to voters: "Don't wake up on June 9 to see celebrations from the tax cheats, the press barons, the greedy bankers, Philip Green , the Southern Rail directors and crooked bankers that take our wealth, who have got away with it because the party they own, the Conservative Party, has won."