The Labour candidate for Watford was forced to justify living outside his constituency during a visit by the leader of the party today.

Jeremy Corbyn launched his race and faith manifesto in Watford this afternoon, where he promised “equality” was at the heart of his party’s programme.

SEE HOW THE EVENT UNFOLDED HERE

During his speech, he said Labour believes it is important to “celebrate the diversity of the people in this country” due to people still being treated unfairly in this day and age over their race, faith and gender.

He also praised Chris Ostrowski, who is hoping to win the Labour seat for Watford at the upcoming General Election next Thursday, for “taking on the cause”.

But while answering questions from the audience at the end of his conference, he was unable to explain why Mr Ostrowski was standing in Watford, when he lives in St Albans.

Mr Ostrowski, who was sitting next to Shadow Home Secretary Dianne Abbott and candidate for Leicester East Keith Vaz, stepped up to the stage instead and argued he lived “just up the road”.

He said: “I was asked to stand as the candidate here in Watford as I know it well and it is just up the road from where I live.

“It is a really nice place where people like to visit from outside places such as St Albans.

“I have been welcomed into the town by the people here and it is a welcoming place.”

Mr Corbyn also apologised for repeatedly failing to provide the cost of Labour's key childcare policy during an interview on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour earlier in the day.

He dismissed suggestions he was treated unfairly on the show, after he paused several times when asked to give a cost for the pledge to roll out free care to all two to four year-olds, before asking: "Can we come back to that in a moment?"

He explained at the end of the conference today: "I didn't have the exact figure in front of me, so I was unable to answer that question, for which obviously I apologise.

"But I don't apologise for what's in the manifesto and I will explain exactly what the cost is.

"It's £4.8 billion it will cost by the end of the Parliament and it means that one million children will get childcare, free childcare 30 hours per week between the years of two and four."