This is your third interview of the morning. Did you expect this level of interest in your campaign and are you getting used to it?

No, not really. But it’s because people were becoming slightly bored with the similarity of political offerings in Britain in general. I think that’s part of it.

So it’s been very interesting and we’ve managed to raise some issues. Certainly the (Newsnight) debate in Nuneaton did raise some good issues, which I was happy to take part in.

Grassroots supporters demanded that MPs got you on the ballot paper to broaden the debate. Do you feel you have managed to achieve that so far?

Yes I do. I think we’ve already succeeded in doing that. We weren’t even sure we were going to get on the ballot paper but suddenly there’s a discussion about alternatives to austerity, about alternatives to nuclear weapons because there was one person saying something tangentially different to the other three.

You received some surprising nominations, from the likes of Margaret Beckett and Frank Field. How surprised were you about that?

We started off with 11 nominations and it wasn’t looking terribly good until a few more came on board. Then there was quite a lot of discussion about the need to widen and diversify the debate. I thank, respect and admire those colleagues who were prepared to nominate me even though they fundamentally do not agree with me. I think it shows a maturity which I’m very grateful for and I’ve told them that.

Frank Field told me at the beginning that he would nominate me. He told me: “Jeremy, you and I have known each other for a very long time, we disagree on most things but both of us have distinctive points of view and I think you should have the chance to represent your point of view to the wider party membership.”

It was also noticeable that you received the most applause during the Newsnight debate...

I wasn’t quite sure how the audience was selected. I was told in advance that they would be a very difficult audience, they would be quite hostile, because there would be people there that voted Ukip. I don’t want anybody to vote Ukip, I think it’s an appalling idea. But I was interested as to why, out of desperation, they should vote for something like Ukip. So I tried to address the issues while not conceding ground on immigration. So I made the statement I did on immigration, which got support from some people in the hall. Not all of them by any measure. But it did get support from some.

Yvette Cooper took a strong line against benefit bashing during the debate. Do you think your contributions dragged the other candidates leftwards?

I think Yvette’s answer on the benefits issue was very good and very interesting. She accepted the inclusivity arguments of the welfare state, rather than the insurance policy buy-in attitudes, which were what other colleagues were putting forward.

I think that is fundamental: that we live in a welfare state where we prevent people falling into destitution — or at least we should. That is philosophically where I’m coming from so I was interested in her response on that.

Some have suggested that you are receiving a warm reception because you speak with conviction, not because people agree with your politics. Are you more popular than your policies?

I think there are a lot of people who are feeling insecure and concerned about their future. They’re concerned about their jobs, their homes and particularly what’s going to happen to their children. There is a wish to regain some security in their lives and I that’s what’s behind the response.

Does it mean you have to spend money? Sure it does. Does it mean you have to raise more money? Absolutely. Does it mean you have to have fairer taxation? Yes of course. That’s not going to be without difficulties or without pain.

You are set to be the only Labour leadership candidate addressing the People’s Assembly march. What’s your message?

I’m going to a Labour hustings in Stevenage before coming back. My message is that austerity isn’t inevitable. Austerity had led to greater inequality. It’s popular movements in Greece, Spain, France and here that is standing up against that.

We don’t have to descend into blaming desperate people trying to get to Europe for that. We have to look at the issues of the world we have created and work out solutions that respect everybody.

The demonstration is starting in the City of London. Do you think public ownership of the financial sector is still a viable policy?

George Osborne selling off shares in RBS is something people are very upset about and they’re right of course. We need to ensure regulation and retention of public ownership of the banks.

Would you like the other Labour leadership candidates to join you on the People’s Assembly demonstration?

Yeah, absolutely. I think they should all come. I’m happy to go down with them on the train together. I’ll say in the meeting: “Come on, let’s go.”

You’re better known for speaking on picket lines and at rallies than at hustings events. Are you just as comfortable in those debates now?

It’s different because you don’t know what subjects are coming up and the timing is very strict. Therefore you have to think quite carefully in advance what issues you want to raise because you can’t talk about everything. I think the issue is equality and the immediate needs around housing. And internationally of course, my views on the war are well-known, but the issue of nuclear weapons and Trident replacement in 2016.

And what concrete policies would you like to see Labour adopt to practically end austerity

Public ownership of the railways system is a good start, a commitment to building a lot more housing to provide security for people and a benefit strategy that eliminates poverty, but also comes with a work policy that creates jobs with reasonable wages for young people. The question of the amount of money we spend on in-work benefits is one that has to be addressed.

Your odds have been slashed to as low as 9/1 and you’ve now got two unions supporting you. There’s some momentum behind you, so what do you feel your own prospects are in the leadership contest?

Let’s make no predictions, let’s just get on with promoting this debate. If at the end of it we end up with a stronger Labour movement, a more socialist Labour movement, that will be great.