SKY NEWS bosses refused to apologise last night for referring to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as “Jihadi Jez” despite thousands of complaints.

The term was used in an article published by Sky News on Friday about the death of Mohammed Emwazi, labelled Jihadi John in the media, in a US air strike.

Mr Corbyn said it would have been better if the British terrorist had been held to account for his “callous and brutal crimes” in a court of law.

Sky News political correspondent Jon Craig wrote “critics are now referring to [Mr Corbyn] as Jihadi Jez” but failed to substantiate the claim with any quotes.

Labour supporter Michelle Ryan set up a petition calling for the article to be removed and an apology from Sky News bosses.

It states: “To equate the Labour leader with a terrorist who zealously murdered innocent people is not just an insult to Jeremy Corbyn, but it is an insult to all of Emwazi’s victims, some of whom have expressed similar sentiments regarding a preference for trial as those articulated by Jeremy Corbyn.”

More than 51,000 people had signed the petition last night — less than 24 hours after it was established.

A Sky News spokesman said the article was removed from its website because it was considered inappropriate when the Paris attacks happened.

But he told the Star that Sky considered the article was balanced and would not be making an apology.