Jeremy Corbyn mocked at Labour meeting for celebrating social media successes in the face of dire polling

JEREMY Corbyn has been mocked by his own MPs for suggesting that despite months of dire polling, his party is doing well on social media.

The Labour leader claimed at last night's meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party that the party was "better" at getting the message out to supporters online.

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Last night a new poll showed the Tory party had stretched their lead over Labour to 18 points a - historic low under Mr Corbyn.

The ICM survey put the Conservatives up two points on 44 per cent and Labour down one on 26 per cent - lows not seen since 2008 under Gordon Brown, and in 1983 under Micheal Foot.

Labour's Chris Leslie asked him to explain the polling and what it meant for the party.

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Mr Corbyn replied: "Of course I understand what’s going on and the problems we have had in the media."

And he added that "we do a lot better on social media",

MP Neil Coyle said he was still getting the same objections to the leader on the doorstep as to why people felt they could not support the party.

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And it was insisted that Labour's polling would improve when the Tories begin to split again over Europe and living standards starting to fall. It was also suggested that last year's coup was still hurting the party.

One Labour MP told The Times: "It's utter nonsense. It's worth sod all when it comes to being a parliamentary party and being able to shape and improve people's lives.

"Pat yourselves on the back because you've got ten new followers this week? It's utter garbage."

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But the leader also warned that the party faced a difficult challenge this week as they fight to hold onto two seats.

Voters will take to the polls in Stoke Central and Copeland this Thursday after two MPs quit Parliament for other jobs.

One MP said that Mr Corbyn said the contests were "on a knife edge and we need to fight for every vote".

Paul Nuttall has had a tough week in stoke as he was forced to admit that comments on his website about losing close friends in the Hillsborough disaster were untrue.

Today he said he'd given a witness statement to the investigation.