SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has accused Jeremy Corbyn of "failing millions of working people” by refusing to attend a summit to fight a hard Brexit.

In a withering attack, Blackford said the Labour leader was siding with Tory "extreme Brexiteers".

Corbyn rejected Blackford's invitation to meet the Westminster leaders of the SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru, and Greens.

Blackford said the other parties would "empty chair" Corbyn at the event in the Commons on Tuesday.

He added that the summit was needed to coordinate cross-party efforts to limit the “catastrophic damage” of a hard Brexit.

However, Labour blasted the event in the Commons as a "publicity seeking meeting" and a "political gimmick".

Corbyn said the summit was "based on the flawed assumption that the single market is a membership club".

In a letter to Blackford, Corbyn insisted Labour wanted the UK to retain strong links with the EU after Brexit.

The Labour leader said his party favoured a deal with the EU that protected jobs and the living standards of workers.

Corbyn said: "We have consistently said that we are committed to negotiating to keep the benefits of the single market and securing the best possible deal for the whole of Britain, which protects our economy and the people of this country, whilst at the same time respecting the result of the referendum."

Blackford said Corbyn had "ducked out" of the summit.

He said: “It is unbelievable – and frankly, utterly pathetic – that on the single biggest issue facing the country Jeremy Corbyn has failed to show any leadership whatsoever, and is now rejecting this crucial chance to build a cross-party coalition in the national interest.

"His absence from this meeting is deeply disappointing but it is not surprising given his absence from the EU referendum campaign and the national debate on Brexit ever since.

“This is not the ‘straight talking, honest politics’ we were promised. Time is running out, and by sitting on the fence the Labour Party is failing millions of working people.

"Instead of protecting the jobs, incomes and rights that families depend upon, Jeremy Corbyn has chosen to stand by and allow hardline Tory and UKIP Brexiteers to have their way – beckoning the biggest threat to our economy in modern times.

“On Tuesday, the real opposition parties will meet to coordinate our efforts to remain in the single market – short of retaining our EU membership, that is by far the best compromise and the least damaging option.

"There will be an empty chair waiting should Jeremy Corbyn come to his senses, back our single market membership, and join this crucial cross-party coalition in the national interest.”

However, a Labour spokeswoman attacked Blackford's claims that Corbyn had sided with Tory Brexiteers.

The Labour spokeswoman, hitting back at Blackford, said: “This publicity seeking meeting is little more than a political gimmick.

“As Jeremy said in his letter, the proposed meeting appears to be based on the flawed assumption that the single market is a membership club that can be joined. It is not.

“We have consistently said that we are committed to negotiating to keep the benefits of the single market and securing the best possible deal for the whole of Britain, which protects our economy and the people of this country, whilst at the same time respecting the result of the referendum.

“We will work with all parties to hold this government to account every step of the way and achieve a Jobs First Brexit that puts living standards and the economy first.”