Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said disabled people and those on social security had been ‘demonised’ by some politicians as he slammed the government’s record of helping society’s least fortunate on a visit to Manchester.

Mr Corbyn, speaking as his party launched a campaign for disability equality, said some of the country’s most vulnerable people had born the brunt of swingeing Tory cuts.

Joined by Oldham East and Saddleworth MP and Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Debbie Abrahams at Manchester’s UNISON trade union building, he said some disabled people had faced ‘horrifying’ hate crimes since Brexit.

Mr Corbyn added: “Some politicians have sought to legitimise cuts, demonising people with disabilities as scroungers and shirkers - remember that language that was used in the past?

(Image: Andy Lambert)

“We will never use that language. It is out of court, unacceptable, and should be unacceptable in any kind of decent civilised society.

“And they have whipped up hatred towards disabled people.

“The hate crime that has grown particularly since the Brexit referendum has been horrifying.

“Horrifying in its racism, horrifying in its misogyny, horrifying in its homophobia, horrifying in its attacks on people with disabilities across the country.”

The event, attended by 50 disabled people, heard they were now being ‘vilified’ as ‘skivers’ and the ‘undeserving poor’.

(Image: Andy Lambert)

But half of all those in poverty in the UK are disabled or live in a household with a disabled person, which Mr Corbyn said was a ‘shocking’ indictment of the system.

He cited a United Nations report published on Tuesday which said the UK Government’s austerity welfare reforms have led to ‘grave and systematic violations’ of disabled people’s rights.

Mr Corbyn paid tribute to the two families who were successful in their bids to overturn ‘bedroom tax’ rulings in the Supreme Court earlier this week.

He said: “Disabled people have been hardest hit by austerity.

“The Labour Party under my leadership wants to break from this failed austerity project and transform our social security system based on the principles of dignity, independence and support.

(Image: Andy Lambert)

“By putting equality at the heart of our policies we can put Britain on the path to becoming an equal society for all.”

Mr Corbyn said Labour would scrap ‘punitive’ sanctions and the Bedroom Tax.

Labour’s Disability Equality Roadshow, headed by Mrs Abrahams, will go nationwide over the coming months.

The Oldham MP said: “This engagement process will take the first steps in developing policies which can tackle the structural issues affecting deaf and disabled people and their carers across the UK, as well as the challenges we all face in building a fairer, more equal society.

“It is part of Labour’s commitment to transform our social security system, ensuring that, like our NHS, it is there for us all in our time of need.”