Lindsay Razaq, Westminster Correspondent
Jeremy Corbyn remained embroiled in the train overcrowding row last night as he prepared to face his rival at the first Labour leadership hustings in Scotland.
The veteran left-winger will go head-to-head with Owen Smith in Glasgow later today.
A tense showdown is expected after the Welsh MP appeared to describe his Islington counterpart as a “lunatic” and mocked him for his video from the floor of a Virgin carriage.
In it, Mr Corbyn complained the train was “ram-packed” – but the company subsequently released CCTV images of him walking past seemingly vacant, unreserved seats before filming the clip.
At a press conference on his plans to “renationalise” the NHS yesterday, a clearly unimpressed Mr Corbyn was asked to clarify his experience on the London to Newcastle service.
After repeatedly asking for a question on topic, he finally answered: “Yes, I did walk through the train. Yes, I did look for two empty seats together so I could sit down with my wife to talk to her.
“That wasn’t possible, so I went to the end of the train.”
He explained the train manager then offered him an upgrade to first class, which he declined, before finding them some seats.
He added: “After 42 minutes I went back through the train to the seats he’d allocated.”
A spokesman for Mr Corbyn’s campaign had previously said there were coats and bags on the seats that appeared unreserved, indicating they were taken.
Responding to the row, Mr Smith initially joked that his campaign remained “on track”, adding: “Proud to be genuinely standing up for ordinary people.”
But he later conceded the Labour leader was “trying to make a legitimate point”.
Meanwhile, he too came under fire yesterday for telling party members at a London event that “what you won’t get from me is some lunatic at the top of the Labour Party”
Mr Corbyn’s allies called for Mr Smith to retract his remarks and apologise to people suffering from mental illness.
He has since clarified the statement, insisting he was talking about himself, rather than the Labour leader.
But he also admitted he should be “slightly less colourful” with his language in future.
Tonight’s debate is due to be broadcast on the Labour Party website.