LABOUR leader Jeremy Corbyn cancelled his planned visit to Stroud district after making a last-minute decision to take part in last night’s BBC live TV leaders’ debate.

Mr Corbyn was replaced at the event in Stroud by the Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner.

Addressing the crowd at Forest Green Rovers’ stadium, the New Lawn, in Nailsworth, Ms Rayner said: “Jeremy sends his apologies that he couldn’t be here, but he is being a leader unlike Theresa May and is debating tonight.”

She added: “We’ve had ‘the lady’s not for turning’, but this time the lady’s not for turning up.

“Theresa May wants to take lunch away from kids and make breakfast for 7p per child – we've gone from Margaret Thatcher the milk snatcher to Theresa May's going to take your dinner away!"

The crowd in attendance were disappointed that Mr Corbyn couldn’t be there but were happy that he was going to be a part of the TV debate.

One attendee commented online, saying: “It’s great news that JC is gonna be on the live TV debate tonight...at least it’s nothing personal Stroud!”

After her speech, Angela Rayner voiced her support for Labour candidate David Drew to reclaim his former position as Stroud MP after he lost to Conservative Neil Carmichael in 2015 and 2010.

“David Drew has been a great asset to this community and Stroud has a winning football team and it needs a Premier League MP,” she said.

Mr Corbyn was also due to attend a rally in Bristol yesterday evening but cancelled it when he announced he was taking part in the TV debate.

Labour has seen an increase in support in the polls over the course of the election campaign, after starting around 20 points behind the Conservatives.

YouGov released early predictions this week that said the election result could be a hung parliament, rather than the Tory landslide initially forecast.

Conservative candidate Neil Carmichael commented on Twitter: "Chaos in the Labour Party - Corbyn fails to make it to Stroud."