FORMER Dudley North MP Ian Austin has urged Labour supporters to back the Tories in a letter sent out to voters in marginal seats around the country.

In the letter, which has been paid for by the Conservatives, Mr Austin claims Jeremy Corbyn is 'unfit' to be prime minister and that he believes a Labour government will not deliver Brexit.

The former MP, who won Dudley North for Labour by just 22 votes in 2017, warns recipients that a Corbyn led government would put businesses, investment and jobs at risk and that a Labour government could not be trusted with defence.

Dudley News: Photos of the letter have been posted on social media.Photos of the letter have been posted on social media.

The letter, which is headed "Ian Austin- former Labour MP", states: "The Labour Party has been my life and until this year I could never have dreamt of voting for anyone else, so it has really come to something when I can no longer ask you to vote Labour.

"I know how hard it for Labour voters to back the Tories, but at the end of this election, either Boris Johnson will be Prime Minister- or Jeremy Corbyn. That's the choice.

"And I am worried that if Boris Johnson does not get a majority, the SNP will back Corbyn.

"It's too big a risk. That is why I think we should lend the Tories our votes and stop Jeremy Corbyn getting anywhere near Downing Street."

Voters in areas such as Stroud in Gloucestershire, Wrexham in North Wales and Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire have took to the social media to post photos of their letter.

Mr Austin quit the Labour Party in February in protest against Corbyn's leadership and then announced in November he would not be standing for re-election as an independent, before urging Labour voters to switch allegiance to the Conservatives.

He represented the seat since 2005 and was once an advisor to former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown.