JEREMY Corbyn called for more money for the city council to pay for accommodation for homeless people during a visit to Worcester today.

The Labour leader discussed benefit and housing issues with volunteers and staff at Worcester Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB) and WHABAC.

Speaking about the spike in rough sleeping in Worcester, Mr Corbyn said: “What we need immediately is sufficient funds for local authorities to be able to buy places for emergency accommodation for rough sleepers and secondly to enable them to build sufficient council housing so there’s move-on accommodation.

"The problem is that hostel accommodation becomes full very, very quickly and there’s nowhere for clients to move on to.”

Martyn Saunders, chief executive officer of the CAB, said the city has a disproportionately high number of rough sleepers.

He added: “Worcester has a very serious problem with single homelessness. The problem has been around for a long time. Rough sleeping is the visible side of that.”

Mr Saunders said many people are in insecure housing, such as hostels, a friend’s home or other types of temporary accommodation.

Mr Corbyn also backed plans for a new mosque in Worcester during his visit to the city.

He denounced the English Defence League (EDL) for marching against the proposed mosque, in Stanley Road, Worcester, last year.

Speaking about Worcester’s new mosque, Mr Corbyn said: “I think everyone should be able to worship in the way that they wish.

"The Muslim community want to build a mosque and that’s fine and when it’s built I look forward to visiting it with Lynn Denham [Labour’s Worcester candidate].

“The EDL’s views are not welcome, the EDL’s behaviour is not welcome, and they have no solution to anything. The solution to people’s problems are decent wages, decent housing, decent jobs.”

Mr Corbyn also offered reassurances to local farmers who are concerned about losing access to seasonal labourers from the EU after Brexit.

“Our farming industry relies on skilled work, some of that work comes from Eastern Europe, who come and deal with fruit and vegetables," Mr Corbyn said.

"There has to be an arrangement where those workers can continue to come and we would make sure that there is.”