Jeremy Corbyn today backed investigations into British troops who served in Iraq and called for the Armed Forces and intelligence services to be scaled back, prompting a furious response from his own party.

MPs and former ministers sharply criticised the Labour leader after he backed the Government’s investigations into alleged abuses committed by British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, which have been described as a “witch hunt”.

Speaking at Labour’s conference in Liverpool Mr Corbyn also said that Britain should no longer have a “huge land-based defence force” and said that MI6 should not be allowed to recruit new spies, despite the growing threat to the country from terrorists.