The Conservatives also criticised the Labour leader for his record opposing Britain's involvement in wars overseas, claiming that it showed he was "not serious about defence".

Sir Gerald Howarth, the former Tory defence minister, said: "Jeremy Corbyn has opposed every British military intervention and represents complete capitulation and weakness."

Corbyn's position on terror legislation

- Voted against the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Bill in 1984. It introduced police powers to arrest a person suspected of involvement in acts of terrorism connected to Northern Ireland. Looking back in 2011 he said: “It probably generated more support for those who wish to commit those acts than anything else, because it criminalised large numbers of people who had committed no criminal wrong.”

- Opposed the 1989 Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Bill, which proscribed the IRA and Irish National Liberation Army.

- Voted against the 2000 Terrorism Bill, which introduced police powers to stop and search anyone in a designated area without having to show reasonable suspicion for doing so.