A BBC journalist was shouted down after he attempted to quiz Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn about his position on the Syrian civil war at a press conference in central London on Tuesday (11 April).

The incident occurred after Corbyn promised to crackdown on big companies making late payments at a Federation of Small Businesses event

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Reporter Mark Lobel was only able to ask "do you agree with Theresa May..." until he was interrupted by audience members.

Corbyn said he would respond to questions about Syria after the press conference.

"Look, I'm really sorry this is a Federation of Small Businesses conference. I'm very happy to do an interview with you after this has finished about Syria, my media team have made that very clear to you. Is that OK?" Corbyn said.

But Lobel denied that Corbyn's spokespeople had set such conditions. "It's not what we've been told by your media team, but I'll ask on business," he said.

An audience member reportedly shouted "f*****g hell" later during the question and answer session when Daily Mirror reporter Ben Glaze asked Corbyn about the Conservatives' large opinion poll lead.

Corbyn's statement on the US missile strikes on Assad's forces

"The US missile attack on a Syrian government air base risks escalating the war in Syria still further.

"Tuesday's horrific chemical attack was a war crime which requires urgent independent UN investigation and those responsible must be held to account.

"But unilateral military action without legal authorisation or independent verification risks intensifying a multi-sided conflict that has already killed hundreds of thousands of people.

"What is needed instead is to urgently reconvene the Geneva peace talks and unrelenting international pressure for a negotiated settlement of the conflict.

"The terrible suffering of the Syrian people must be brought to an end as soon as possible and every intervention must be judged on what contribution it makes to that outcome.

"The British government should urge restraint on the Trump administration and throw its weight behind peace negotiations and a comprehensive political settlement."

Jeremy Corbyn Syria