A key ally of Jeremy Corbyn has backed claims the BBC manipulated a picture of the Labour leader wearing a hat to make it “look more Russian”.

A recent discussion on BBC Newsnight featured a red backdrop showing Mr Corbyn wearing a so-called “Lenin cap” and positioned next to the Kremlin.

Mr Corbyn has been photographed wearing the soft, flat-topped cap, which is synonymous with Vladimir Lenin, the Russian revolutionary leader, on numerous occasions.

But supporters of the Labour leader claimed the BBC had “doctored” the image to make Mr Corbyn look like a “Soviet stooge” in the wake of the Salisbury spy attack.

It was also claimed the picture of Mr Corbyn wearing the cap had been selected on purpose to make him appear “as Leninesque as possible”.