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Last week Jeremy Corbyn strode into Labour's conference and declared: "We are now the mainstream."

Now, it seems, Theresa May agrees.

The Prime Minister admitted last night that Labour's left-wing leader has "changed" the consensus in British politics.

"We thought there was a political consensus," she said. "Jeremy Corbyn has changed that."

She added: "It’s our job to go out and make those arguments all over again."

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

She made the comments after apologising to failed candidates at a Women2Win reception at the Tory conference.

"I’m sad that we lost some very good female colleagues at the general election and I’m sorry about that," she said.

The Tories went into the election more than 20 points ahead in the polls but lost their majority after a disastrous campaign and had to stitch up a deal with the hard-right DUP to stay in power.

Later at another fringe event Mrs May said: "We thought over the last few decades we had made and won arguments about the importance of free market economies.

"About the importance of fiscal prudence. About the importance of wealth creation. That you could only spend money on public services if you are creating wealth and have a sound economy to do so.

"But Jeremy Corbyn has shown that we have got to go out and make those arguments all over again.

"You know what, we won the argument last time, we're going to win those arguments again."