THE nearly man of last year’s US presidential election Bernie Sanders told a packed and rapturous Brighton Dome that he was “very impressed” with Jeremy Corbyn.

He held back from giving a formal endorsement – despite screamed requests from the crowd – but drew extensive parallels between Corbyn’s work in the UK and his own campaign, which nearly propelled him to the Democratic candidacy for president.

He said of Corbyn: “What has impressed me – and there is a real similarity between what he has done and what I did – is he has taken on the establishment of the Labour party.

“He has gone to the grassroots and he has tried to transform that party… and that is exactly what I am trying to do.

“I am also impressed by his willingness to talk about class issues.

“Too many people run away from the grotesque levels of income and wealth inequality that exist in the United States, the UK and all over the world.

“We will never make the kind of changes we need unless we take on the levels of inequality that exist.”

Many have drawn comparisons between Corbyn and Sanders due to their political leanings.

Sanders almost caused a huge upset when he narrowly missed out on becoming the presidential candidate for the Democrats last year.

He eventually lost out to Hilary Clinton, who went on to lose to Donald Trump in the November vote.

His arrival on stage on Tuesday night was greeted with a standing ovation, especially from the many who were wearing Momentum or Clause Four T-shirts and who had been canvassing for the Labour Party in the queue outside the event.

His speech was delivered in the pugnacious and unforgiving style any US watcher would have expected from the 75-year-old.

The New Englander is accustomed to speaking to huge like-minded crowds, galvanising the youth vote and bemoaning his own country’s vast wealth and income inequality – where, as he said, the richest 20 people own as much wealth as the poorest 50 per cent.

His comments on Corbyn came during answers to pre-submitted questions towards the end of the 90 minute event.

He also used the stage to criticise president Donald Trump.

He received his standing ovation at the end, albeit a beat less spontaneous than the one which preceded his appearance, and regular bouts of applause throughout from a delighted crowd enjoying the US maverick in the flesh, telling them everything they wanted to hear.