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Jeremy Corbyn has hinted he would eradicate huge swathes of debt owed by graduates who paid £9,000 a year for their degrees.

The Labour leader used an interview with NME magazine to say he did not believe people should be punished for having the “historical misfortune” of going to university when it was more expensive.

His party’s manifesto has already promised the abolition of tuition fees from as early as this year – if Labour wins the election.

But in a cover interview for the well-known music magazine, he said: “First of all, we want to get rid of student fees altogether.

“We’ll do it as soon as we get in, and we’ll then introduce legislation to ensure that any student going from the 2017-18 academic year will not pay fees.”

He added: “And I don’t see why those that had the historical misfortune to be at university during the £9,000 period should be burdened excessively compared to those that went before or those that come after. I will deal with it.”

Mr Corbyn said specific details of the plan still needed to be fleshed out, but the policy is likely to be costly. The Labour Party estimates their abolition of tuition fees will cost the exchequer £9.5billion.

In the interview, the Labour leader also said he preferred Oasis to Britpop rival Blur and revealed his favourite song is Imagine by John Lennon.

It comes as Labour, which is targeting young voters, appears to be closing the gap with the Conservatives, according to polls.

A YouGov poll today found there are just three points between the two parties.

According to an exclusive poll for the Evening Standard, Mr Corbyn is also now more popular in London than Theresa May.