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Jeremy Corbyn promised to make Labour leaders face mandatory elections every year to avoid the party struggling with a 'personality' leader.

He said it would "bring back democracy into the Labour Party and the Labour movement."

But the embattled Labour leader seems to have radically changed his mind since he unexpectedly became leader of the party last September.

On June 15, 2015 - in the run up to the leadership election - Mr Corbyn told a BBC Newsnight hustings: “To avoid the personality argument I think there should be the opportunity to elect or not elect the Labour leader regularly every one or two years so that we don’t get into this idea ‘the leader’s vulnerable, we have got to get rid of the leader or don’t get rid of the leader’.

(Image: PA)

"Bring back democracy into the Labour Party and the Labour movement.”

Today he asked the BBC's Andrew Marr why such a rule should apply to his leadership, and saying it would be "irresponsible" of him to walk away.

He said: "Why should I time-limit a leadership when I've been elected by a very large number of members and supporters in order to lead this party.

"If at the end of the day, an election results in a different leader, so be it. But I would be irresponsible if I walked away from a mandate, and a responsibility I was given. I ask members to respect that as well."