JEREMY Corbyn, literature and the environment were all on Dame Vivienne Westwood's agenda during her first visit to the Lake District.

Speaking to an audience at the University of Cumbria's Ambleside campus, the fashion designer and activist recited poetry and spoke about the urgent problem of climate change and what could be done to prevent it.

"If we had true culture we would not have climate change," she said. "We would not have consumption - that is the opposite of culture."

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"There's only one solution and that is a green economy."

She praised the Labour party leader, saying she was 'impressed' by the party's manifesto as it 'really was about redistribution of wealth'.

"Jeremy Corbyn owns the future because young people voted for him and I think he will go more green," she said.

To the packed out lecture theatre, she encouraged Lake District hoteliers to switch to green energy suppliers and consider turning their lights off on bright days.

Although most well known for her work in the fashion industry during the punk era, Ms Westwood has turned her attention to the environment. She told the Gazette after the talk that she had always used her work to promote a particular cause.

"What do you think?" she said, when asked if she felt she had a responsibility to use her influence to discuss big issues. "Sure. I've always believed that. Before I was doing the environment it was all about human rights."

When it came to the Lake District, she said that she recognised that there was 'nowhere' else like it in the world.

"It's so burgeoning and so abundant - the green and everything," she said. "It looks so dramatic, the difference in the flora and everything.

"You are very concerned to look after your planet here because it's just this thing of amazing natural beauty.

"If things are publicly owned then they will be looked after. People will prefer to have this than have something built on it or have it dug into mines or whatever."

While in the area, she took time to take a trip on Windermere Lake Cruises, accompanied on the boat by her husband Andreas Kronthaler, along with her son, daughter-in-law and children.

The designer also took time to talk to students from the university's Institute of the Arts campus on Brampton Road, Carlisle, who brought an artwork which featured in the institute's degree exhibition.

Vice Chancellor Prof Julie Mennell told the audience: “Vivienne sparked a stimulating and exhilarating discussion and is exactly the kind of thought-provoking guest we love to welcome.”