LABOUR leader Jeremy Corbyn has promised to win back Brighton.

In an exclusive interview with The Argus the new Labour leader said: “Of course we’re going to win in Brighton.”

Speaking as he arrived in the city for the Labour conference also promised to “take on board” the need to invest in the city’s crumbling seafront, calling Brighton “a national treasure which must be preserved and expanded”.

And he called for the reopening of the Lewes-Uckfield rail connection to increase rail capacity for the city’s let-down commuters.

Mr Corbyn listed the policies he believes will resurrect the party in Brighton and the South-East.

He said: “Of course we’re going to win in Brighton. We’re going to put forward housing policies particularly, about regulation of the private rented sector, and particularly about council house building, those are key policies.”

The Labour conference, which got underway yesterday at the Brighton Centre, is due to vote for the renationalisation of the railways - a plan long supported by Mr Corbyn.

He insisted the scheme would improve Brighton’s often frustrating rail links.

He said: “A publicly owned railway would mean that the profit advantage from the train operating companies would come back to the public as it did with the East Coast mainline.

“But it would also mean that public representatives, government, would be very accountable to the public on how services are delivered.”

The Islington North MP then called for the resurrection of an additional rail connection to Brighton which has been locked in planning disputes for decades.

“On a good day I can get from my home to Brighton in an hour and a half, on a bad day it’s a very long time. We need the East Grinstead line," he said.

“The Lewes to Uckfield connection needs to be redone so we have an alternative route into Brighton because the capacity levels are a problem.

“And the south coast railway, going all along through to Ashford, needs a serious level of upgrading and improvement and so we can and must have a much better rail system in this country.”

He said the country was still living with the mistakes of the Beeching railway closures of the 1940s, but insisted: “rail is the best transport for the future.”

Mr Corbyn's interim director of communications Kevin Slocombe said Jeremy "loves the local press" but despite his desire to claim back votes in Brighton's Kemptown and Pavilion constituencies he could only manage to spare a few minutes in a lift to speak to the Argus - and two more minutes on the couch.

As our reporter chased him out the door to ask him about the seafront he concluded "I love Brighton."

He called the Madeira Arches a “a national treasure which must be preserved and expanded”.

But added: “I think investing in the infrastructure is a job for the local council, but it’s also about how you improve the incentives in the businesses along the front.

“Clearly it does need doing because Brighton, which is is a national treasure, has got to be preserved, and expanded.

“And I will take that on board. I love Brighton.”

Mr Corbyn, who is set to define himself to his party in his speech to the conference tomorrow (TUES), was accused of backing down from tackling one of the most controversial topics of the conference.

The party made a last minute decision not to debate the renewal of the £20 billion nuclear missile system Trident at the party conference.

Jeremy Corbyn and deputy Tom Watson have publicly opposing views on the topic.

It is expected the new leader will allow his MPs to vote freely when the issue comes before parliament.

It was thought the conference would be the beginning of the party coming to a consistent stance on the renewal but the debate was voted down by delegates.

Mr Corbyn said: "This is an open and democratic party and the members at conference have decided to discuss the issues that they want to debate this week. These are important issues like the NHS, the refugee crisis, mental health and housing."