The Tories will be largest party at the next general election and the best Labour can hope for is to be propped up by the SNP, one of Jeremy Corbyn's closest allies has admitted.

Len McCluskey, the general secretary of Unite the union, suggested that Jeremy Corbyn will only be able to form a Government after the 2020 election with the backing of the SNP and Liberal Democrats.

Mr McCluskey, one of Labour's biggest donors, said it was "absolutely possible and practical" for Mr Corbyn to seek a Coalition.

He told BBC's Pienaar Politics on Radio 5 Live: “Can the Tories win the next election? I don’t believe they can – I believe they may be the largest party but I don’t believe they will be able to form a Government.

"And I think it is absolutely possible and practical to look at a Labour Government led by Corbyn that can get a Queen speech through [a] Coalition. You would need the SNP and Liberal Democrats to support it.”