Labour abandoned the slogan "The Tories are the real extremists" amid fears it would highlight Jeremy Corbyn's links to groups like Hamas and the IRA, sources have told The Telegraph.

The phrase was discussed at a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee as a way to counter Tory attacks against the party leader during the campaign.

But fears were raised that it would prompt questions about Mr Corbyn's views on terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which he has previously declared "friends".

Earlier this week the party put out a document which sought to reassure voters that Mr Corbyn is not a "terrorist sympathiser".

It came as the leader indicated that he could be about to unveil a new pledge to scrap university tuition fees, funded by billions of pounds in tax rises.