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Thousands of music fans gave Jeremy Corbyn a rock star welcome when he took to the stage amidst performances from The Libertines and The Coral at Wirral Live this evening.

An energetic Corbyn burst onto the stage at Prenton Park after a performance from Sheffield band Reverend and the Makers.

His appearance delighted concert goers after a day of hype surrounding speculation the MP would made an appearance at the festival.

He grabbed the mic on stage and said: “Thanks to Reverend and the Makers, a band that supported Hillsborough.

(Image: Geoff Davies)

“This is a fantastic opportunity, look here, we’ve got football and music all in the same place. Tranmere are a club with this fantastic working class history and involvement in the community.

“I love football and I love sport and I want it for everybody, so do you know what I want to happen after this election?

“Those very wealthy clubs in the Premiership, pay your 5% so we’ve got grass roots football for everybody - for the future. So the kids can play, the girls, the boys and all of those with disabilities and all of the other sports - sport for all!

“And it’s also about young people and music and what they can achieve, Merseyside and its history of music is the music capital of our country.

“What I want is every school to have the money for every child to learn musical instruments.”

It follows a busy day of campaigning across the north with Corbyn visiting Birmingham before heading to Merseyside.

Over 2,000 people braved wind and rain to see him appear at a rally in West Kirby in support of Wirral West candidate Margaret Greenwood,

He paid tribute to Greenwood and metro mayor Steve Rotheram who was on stage to show his support before beginning a rousing speech that earned him wild applause across the beach.

The ECHO got an exclusive chat with the Labour leader just before the rally.

He refuted claims his appearance was due to worries the Labour party could lose the Wirral West seat.

(Image: Geoff Davies) (Image: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

He told the ECHO: “I’m here to support Margaret as I am here to support candidates everywhere else. I have been in a majority of conservative held constituencies on the events I have done this is the fiftieth campaign I have done since he election was announced.

“I strongly support Margaret as I support and all the people across the area on what we can achieve for Labour.”

When he got on stage he received a rousing welcome from supporters and continued to impress with his ideas for education, free school meals for every child and young people.

He told his supports: “Any community or society only works when you work together.”

He added: “I say to all of you, wherever you are, wherever you go, whatever you do, bus, train, whatever you do engage in that conversation.

“Do you want to live in a country that glories in injustice, poverty and inequality? Or do you want to choose something different?”

He also used the rally to announce cash for schools arts subjects for every school in England ahead of its official launch on Monday.

The policy is already been trialled in some Merseyside schools.

He addedL “Education isn’t just about what you learn in school, as important as that is, it’s also about the imagination and the creativity. Understanding the world we live in and understanding that imagination t can be performed in music and art.

“I’m very proud of it because I want all children to be able to learn music, to develop their own creativity because that makes them better in all the things they do.”