“Today’s Corbyn interview was more Marr ’82” – John Prescott attacks Andrew Marr over Corbyn interview

John Prescott has attacked Andrew Marr over his interview with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn this morning.

The former Deputy Prime Minister branded the interview a “disgrace”, saying that Marr asked a series of questions to get answers “he hopes will be in tomorrow’s Daily Mail”. Prescott cited Marr’s questions about whether Corbyn supported Flying Pickets – a tactic where workers travel to support people on strike at another workplace – and what his thoughts were on the Falklands war.

In the wide-ranging interview, Marr asked also asked the Labour leader about his stance regarding Trident. Corbyn, a long-time opponent of nuclear weapons, said that he would accommodate divisions in Labour on the issue. Corbyn said it is possible that the UK could keep Trident without “warheads”.

Prescott complimented Corbyn for leading the debate by “putting housing, social justice and equality right at the heart of our politics”. He urged “all journalists” to recognise the public wants to hear Labour’s current policies, not “hypothetical positions on the issues of yesterday”.

Others on social media have also criticised Marr’s line of questioning, including the Channel 4 Economics Editor Paul Mason:

Marr asks series of qs about 1970s trade union tactics, then says Corbyn is obsessed with looking back to 1970s

— Paul Mason (@paulmasonnews) January 17, 2016

Marr asked @jeremycorbyn a very strange set of 1970s questions and avoided asking anything about opposition to today’s government.

— Chris Bryant MP (@RhonddaBryant) January 17, 2016

Corbyn is accused of taking Labour back in time. But it was Marr who asked him about the Falklands not the Government’s record #marrshow

— Maya Goodfellow (@MayaGoodfellow) January 17, 2016