Charedi activist Sharga Stern has praised Labour's "brilliant" plan to scrap the education watchdog Ofsted - and insists he has received assurances that the party will not abolish faith schools.

Speaking to the JC as he attended Labour's Conference in Brighton, Mr Stern added: "With religion and with regards to sensitivity of religion you will actually find Labour has better policies than the Tories."

On Sunday, Labour delegates endorsed radical plans that would abolish private schools by removing their charitable status and redistributing their endowments, investments and properties to the state sector.

It followed shadow education secretary Angela Rayner's pledge that a Jeremy Corbyn government would overhaul school inspections by replacing Ofsted with a new body.

Many Orthodox Jewish schools have fallen foul of Ofted inspection criteria - with many in the Charedi community arguing their school system is not understood.

"Labour has a very good manifesto now," insisted Mr Stern, who also praised the party's attacks on the government's two-child universal tax credit, which has now been been partially rolled back.

But the Stamford Hill campaigner, who has regularly met with the Labour leader, admitted the "only thing" that concerned him was the plan by the party to abolish private schools.

But Mr Stern revealed he had discussed the issue with a senior member of Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet who had told him: "The day Labour abolishes faith schools is the day I'm resigning."

Mr Stern accepted there were incidents of antisemitism within Labour - particularly in the treatment of MP Luciana Berger, who quit the party in February and has now joined the Liberal Democrats.

He insisted some of the complaints around antisemitism were related to criticism of Zionism.

Mr Stern added that Mr Corbyn is "definitely not an antisemite" himself. "Nowhere near," he added.

Mr Stern had been at the forefront of attempts to exempt religious schools from having to teach LGBT issues as part of the government’s relationships and sex education policy.

But some in the Charedi community were angered by his tactics, incuding his willingness to make overtures to Labour leader Mr Corbyn.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick called Labour’s plans “another attack on faith schools from Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party, who want to take away the freedom of parents to choose how to educate their children."

The Conservative minister added: “The diversity of our schools reflects the rich tapestry of faiths and communities which make up the fabric of our society.

Rabbi David Meyer executive director of Partnership for Jewish Schools said: “Labour now plans to shut down hundreds of faith schools, forcing them to sell off their assets, playing politics with our children’s futures.

“The Conservative government will always stand by faith schools and support the right of parents to decide how to give their children the best start in life.”