Jeremy Corbyn has announced that a Labour government would create a new publicly-owned generic drugs manufacturer to supply cheaper medicines to the NHS.

Speaking to the Labour Party’s conference in Brighton on Tuesday afternoon, Corbyn said drugs companies would also have to make “drugs affordable for all” if they wanted public research funding.

“We are the party that created the NHS. Only Labour can be trusted with its future,” he said.

Earlier this week, Labour also promised prescription charges will be abolished in England .

Prescriptions are currently free for patients living in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but cost £9 per item for those in England who do not qualify for an exemption.

Corbyn said today: “We will redesign the system to serve public health – not private wealth – using compulsory licensing to secure generic versions of patented medicines.

“We’ll tell the drugs companies that if they want public research funding then they’ll have to make their drugs affordable for all.

“And we will create a new publicly owned generic drugs manufacturer to supply cheaper medicines to our NHS saving our health service money and saving lives.”

During his speech, the Labour leader highlighted the case of nine-year-old Luis Walker who has cystic fibrosis.

“Luis’ life could be very different with the aid of a medicine called Orkambi,” Corbyn said.

“But Luis is denied the medicine he needs because its manufacturer refuses to sell the drug to the NHS for an affordable price.”

Labour’s conference has largely been dominated by Brexit, and Corbyn said the NHS should not be “for sale” to Donald Trump in any post-Brexit trade deal.

“A Trump Deal Brexit would mean US corporations getting the green light for a comprehensive takeover of our public services,” he said.

Corbyn’s speech in Brighton was brought forward to Tuesday from Wednesday afternoon after the supreme court ruled Boris Johnson acted unlawfully by suspending parliament.

MPs will reconvene in the Commons tomorrow and the prime minister is expected to fly back to London from New York where he is attending the UN General Assembly.