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Jeremy Corbyn today blasted David Cameron’s "lack of respect" for Parliament as the PM dodged questions on his EU deal.

The Tory PM was forced to water down his key pledge to ban migrant benefits for four years - but took questions in a Wiltshire factory instead of the Commons.

That meant he avoided furious questions from his own backbenchers who mocked his "pint-sized package" and said the deal was "polishing poo".

And he held a press conference at exactly the same time as the Commons debate - drawing away public attention from the seat of democracy.

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A furious Mr Corbyn told MPs: "He could get back to London in about an hour by train and give a statement here later on today."

(Image: Ben Pruchnie/Getty)

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He said the announcement had been about “managing problems in the Conservative Party”, not democracy, and showed a “lack of respect” for Parliament.

"It’s rather strange that the Prime Minister is not here, only two of his cabinet colleagues appear to be in attendance today," he said.

“The Prime Minister seems to think he should be in Chippenham paying homage to the town where I was born, making a speech about negotiations with the European Union rather than his duty to report to this House first."

He complained Number 10 denies it will give a “running commentary” on the negotiation - but the PM had “gone to a selected audience in Chippenham this morning to give a commentary” to a “select audience”.

Mr Corbyn added: “He doesn’t seem to respect the sovereignty of this Parliament, coming here today to make the statement he should have done.”

Mr Corbyn voiced his fury that journalists were briefed on the document this morning before MPs.

And he demanded to know why Chancellor George Osborne was “across the road” instead of on the front benches.

Europe Minister David Lidington hit back, accusing Mr Corbyn on focusing on the style of the announcement not its substance.

"It has always been the Prime Minister's intention to make a statement subject to permission after Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow," he said.

"I have been at debates and in evidence sessions before select committees when I have listened to complaints from members of all sides of the House that they were being given insufficient time to look at the detail before they had the opportunity to question ministers about it.

"The Prime Minister's approach has been deliberately to give that opportunity to MPs and then make himself available to answer questions.

"And I have to say, the fact that you focused entirely on the choreography of this morning and asked not one question on the substance makes that point for me."

The alternative location meant David Cameron avoided furious speeches from his own backbenchers.

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Eurosceptic Tory MP Sir William Cash mocked the Prime Minister’s “pint-sized package”.

And Steve Baker, the leader of Eurosceptic group Conservatives for Britain, compared it to polishing a turd.

He said: "This in-at-all-costs deal looks funny, it smells funny, it might be superficially shiny on the outside, but poke it and it’s soft in the middle,"

"Will my Right Honourable friend admit to the House that he has been reduced to polishing poo?”

“Erm, erm, no I don’t!” said the Europe Minister - who accused Mr Baker of happily polishing anything that backs leaving the EU.

Many backbenchers lent their support to staying in the EU but criticised the detail of the PM's announcement.

Labour’s Mary Creagh told MPs: "Were we to leave, it would put British jobs and prosperity at risk."

Labour colleague Geraint Davies added: “We need to stay in.

“This candy floss negotiation, which isn’t legally ratifiable in treaty but may be welcome, may be sweet when you taste it but it appears to be much bigger than it in fact is and won’t have lasting impact unless we stay in the union to see it through.”