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Jeremy Corbyn has blasted Boris Johnson for "name-calling" after the mop-haired Tory branded him a "mutton-headed old mugwump".

Labour's leader vowed not to stoop to the Foreign Secretary's level of personal attacks during a campaign visit today.

He told the Mirror: "It's eight days in and the Tories are reduced to being personal and name calling.

"I've never done that and I'm not going to start now."

Mr Corbyn spoke during a housing-themed trip to Harlow, Essex - where Tory Robert Halfon has an 8,350 majority - as research showed Labour councils are building more homes than their Tory counterparts.

House of Commons library analysis shows Labour councils have built on average 2,577 new homes from 2010 to this year, compared with 1,679 in Tory-led areas.

(Image: WENN.com)

Mr Corbyn shared a cup of tea and cake with council tenants Don and Marilyn Bashford before looking round a new build home and visiting activists in a park.

He told the activists: "There doesn't have to be such poverty. There doesn't have to be such insecurity. Things can be very different.

"We will build a million homes over the period of a parliament, half of which will be council and housing association for rent and be totally affordable, because that is the Labour way."

An aide jumped in to turn Mr Corbyn round to face a news camera just before he began his speech.

Later he cradled one-year-old Angelo Pullara for the cameras.

Mum Chloe, 39, said: "We drove down to see him because he's my hero.

"We couldn't miss a chance like this. He's honest and fair, and he's got all the right ideas to make the country better.

"I'm really glad Angelo got to meet him and we'll remind him about it all the time when he's bigger."

(Image: PA)

Shadow Housing Secretary John Healey, who commissioned today's research, said: "These new figures show that Labour in power means building more homes for local people.

"Tory ministers talk about getting Britain building, but their own local councils are lagging behind."

Tory press officers said the housing survey was "statistically misleading" despite it being conducted by the independent House of Commons Library.

Housing minister Gavin Barwell said: "We recently set out a clear plan to build more affordable housing – and the number of housing starts is up by three quarters since 2010."

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In an article for the Sun newspaper today, Mr Johnson claimed the "biggest risk" with Jeremy Corbyn is "people just don’t get what a threat he really is" to Britain's national security.

He accused the Labour leader of "meandering and nonsensical" language before writing: "[People] say to themselves: he may be a mutton-headed old mugwump, but he is probably harmless.

"Have you ever thought the leader of the Opposition is an essentially benign Islingtonian herbivore? Have you felt a pang of sympathy for his plight? If so, fight it."