New Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn parked his tanks on the Tories’ lawn as he burst into Manchester during the Conservative Party conference.
Mr Corbyn, breaking ’the protocol of sterile politics’, spoke at Manchester Cathedral for The People’s Post Rally on Monday evening.
Many were shocked that he turned up during the Tory conference - less than a month into his reign. But the gusty move was welcomed by Labour activists.
Thousands gathered to hear the Labour leader talk, with an overflow area set up outside the cathedral to cope with numbers.
The 1,200-capacity cathedral quickly filled an hour before the rally, with thousands more more queuing to hear Mr Corbyn speak just minutes before the event kicked off.
Organisers reckon up to 8,000 people were in attendance. Scores of activists - fresh from a 60,000-strong rally on the streets of the city centre on Sunday - roared as the left-winger took to the stage.
Other speakers at the event, hosted by the Communication Workers Union, included Green Party leader Natalie Bennett; Stockport columnist Owen Jones; Lindsey German from the People’s Assembly; and Dave Ward of the CWU.
Campaigners talked of renationalising Royal Mail and battling harsh government cuts.
Hosted by Daily Mirror associate editor Kevin Maguire, the event saw speeches on protecting the future of postal services in the UK - and challenging the government’s austerity drive.
The Labour leader’s appearance came as Tory Chancellor George Osborne sought to take the middle ground of British politics in his conference speech earlier in the day.
The Chancellor said the Tories had created a ‘new centre ground’ and were the ‘true party of Labour’ - a statement that angered Mr Corbyn’s party.
Mr Corbyn, addressing scores of admirers, fought back against Tory rhetoric, insisting that there ‘is an alternative to the politics of austerity’ - and that his party truly represents workers.
He maintained that Tory cuts were a ‘political choice’ rather than a ‘necessary economic choice’.
Mr Corbyn, accusing the Conservatives of ‘bargain basement economics’ said Prime Minister David Cameron had ‘destroyed the work of unions over the decades’ with the ‘dismantling’ of Royal Mail.
“I want a Royal Mail that is universal - that uses all the skills of every person working for it,” he said.
“Is a public service there to provide a service to everyone - or as a profit opportunity for financial investors?
“We challenge austerity for what it is and the sale of of public services. Our trade union movement was founded to protect our public services. We’re not having it. We’re protecting Royal Mail.
“Every postal worker is a person of skill, a person of knowledge, a person who has ideas. Why do we so often suppress the ideas of the normal person?”
Mr Corbyn vowed to defend the ‘universal service obligation’ - and demand the government doesn’t sell the public’s remaining 15pc Royal Mail share.
He said the party is committed to ensuring the service returns to public ownership.
READ MORE: RECAP - Corbyn speaks in Manchester
Mr Corbyn said the party would win the 2020 election by ‘winning the hearts and minds of every person in the country’.
“Things have changed politically in this country,” he added.
“We will win by changing ideas, opening eyes and winning the hearts and minds of every person.
“We will win on a campaign to cast away the idea that you can only live in the politics of austerity and the misery that goes with that.”
Mr Corbyn left the stage to a roar of applause, before being swiftly shepherded into a car and whizzing away into the night.
