Owen Smith suggests Islamic State should be involved in Syrian peace talks

At one point Mr Corbyn snapped at BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire as she said Labour had gone “toxic” and asked her: ‘How do you know?’

Mr Corbyn is being challenged by Owen Smith for the Labour leadership after MPs passed a vote of no confidence in him.

Interestingly Jeremy Corbyn said he wouldn’t talk to IS, and he was adamant that this was his position.

A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn branded the remarks “hasty and ill-considered”.

But, while “Security is obviously crucial”, Corbyn said, “The use of nuclear weapons is unconscionable by anybody, I would have thought”.

“I was part of the UK’s negotiating team that helped bring together the loyalist paramilitaries and the DUP in particular into the process alongside Sinn Fein, and my view is that ultimately all solutions to these sorts of worldwide crises do come about through dialogue”.

“But at some point, for us to resolve this, we will need to get people round the table”.

Later, as he faced concerted criticism over his comments, a spokesman for Mr Smith said: “Owen is clear there should be absolutely no negotiation with Daesh [another name for Isis], or any terrorist group, until they renounce violence, cease all acts of terror and commit themselves to a peaceful settlement”.

The poll, which included more than 300 Labour backing respondents, found May had a net satisfaction of 16%, while the Labour supporters gave Corbyn a -7% net satisfaction rating and Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron a -1% score.

A statement from his campaign said: “Owen’s experience of helping to bring about peace in Northern Ireland is that eventually all parties who truly believe in delivering peace have to be around the table”.

“In the Middle East at the moment that clearly doesn’t include – and may never include – ISIS”.

He replied: “I have dealt with very strongly and very robustly any complaints about abuse”.

The debate ranged from policy to personality and the state of the Labour Party, in a lively discussion with a mixed audience of one third Corbyn supporters, one third Smith supporters, and a third undecided voters.

“Lots of my female MP colleagues feel Jeremy wasn’t supportive enough”.

However, both candidates compare poorly against Theresa May, with Corbyn and Smith both winning the support of only 29 per cent when they were asked who would make a better Prime Minister.