The former head of MI6 has said he is “troubled” by Jeremy Corbyn’s “past associations”.

Sir Richard Dearlove said the Labour leader had previously associated himself with people who were not “friends of the British nation”.

Appearing on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, Sir Richard said: “Someone coming from my background is troubled by Jeremy Corbyn’s past associations, some of which I find surprising and worrying.

“He may have abandoned them now but I don’t think he can entirely, as it were, dump your past.

“He’s enthusiastically associated himself with groups and interests which I would not say were the friends of the British nation.”

Sir Richard also dismissed the idea of a “deep state” working against the Labour Party, saying: “It’s rubbish. I think every government has been loyally served by the British security and intelligence community.”

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell dismissed Sir Richard’s comments — describing him as “a reactionary member of the establishment”.

Mr McDonnell, also appearing on the Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, said: “Well, I’m not surprised, look this is a member, a reactionary member, of the establishment, so I don’t think he’d welcome a Labour government of any sort, to be frank.

“Can I just say to him directly, I think he should spend his retirement in quiet contemplation of the role that he played with regard to the Iraq war where over half a million people at least were killed.

“He was strongly criticised as the head of an organisation whose intelligence took us into that war, so I think he should have a bit of humility about the judgements he makes about individuals and others in the future.”