Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pledged more funding for flood protection and a halt to controversial NHS cuts during a visit to Carlisle.

Last night’s speech, his first after restarting his election campaign following the London terror attack, saw him insist that this week’s General Election must go ahead for the good of democracy.

The Labour leader had been due to speak at an NHS demo in the city yesterday, but this was cancelled following Saturday night’s tragedy.

However, he later decided to continue with his visit to the city as the national campaign got back under way.

Taking place at the County Hotel in Botchergate, he made his speech in front of just over 50 invited guests, including Labour’s Carlisle candidate Ruth Alcroft, following a one-minute silence.

Despite it being last-minute, more than 100 supporters gathered outside in the car park, some standing for hours to get a glimpse of Mr Corbyn.

He invited them in for a private discussion on his party’s manifesto, speaking to every person who had waited outside.

During the public part of the visit, attended by the News & Star , Mr Corbyn mainly talked about terrorism in the wake of the London attack. However, he also spoke of his plans to end austerity, relating the issue directly to voters in the city.

“Here in Carlisle you’ve felt the effects of austerity. That’s why we are increasing funding in flood prevention and halting plans that threaten over-burdened A&E and maternity units,” he said.

On terrorism, Mr Corbyn stressed that the perpetrators must not be allowed to derail democracy.

“The mass murderers who brought terror to our streets in London and Manchester want our election to be halted,” he said.

“That is why it would be completely wrong to postpone Thursday’s vote, or to suspend our campaigning any longer.”

He also used the Carlisle speech to hit out at the Prime Minister over police cuts, saying: “You cannot protect the public on the cheap.

“The police and security services must get the resources they need, not 20,000 police cuts. Theresa May was warned by the Police Federation but she accused them of ‘crying wolf’,” he said.

Mr Corbyn said Labour would recruit 10,000 new police officers, including more armed police, and 1,000 more security staff. And he said they also need to combat terrorism at the root, saying that would require “difficult conversations” with Muslim communities here in the UK, but also with other countries.

“We do need to have some difficult conversations, starting with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states that have funded and fuelled extremist ideology,” he said.

Following earlier questions about whether he supported police ‘shoot to kill’ tactics, he said: “Our priority must be public safety and I will take whatever action is necessary and effective. That includes full authority for the police to use whatever force is necessary.”

The Labour leader was well received by supporters.

Twins Charlotte and Emily Studholme, 17, waited for over two hours to meet Mr Corbyn.

“We just wanted to show Jeremy Corbyn and Labour support from younger people because he supports us,” said Charlotte.

Hannah Garner, 18, from Carlisle, joined the Labour party this week. She said: “It was great to have him here. It was important that we heard what he had to say about the London attack.”

Kim Synes, a Carlisle Labour member, added: “He was brilliant. He knew exactly the right thing to say.”