Over half of Corbyn’s Labour shadow cabinet resign
refused to step down.
The Labour leader remained defiant, even in the face of resig- nations from previously loyal members of his team on the left of the party, including the shadow business secretary, Angela Eagle, the shadow work and pen- sions secretary, Owen Smith, and the shadow energy secretary, Lisa Nandy.
The Labour departures began on Sunday morning, with Corbyn sacking shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn following reports he was mounting a coup. Some of the most senior figures within the cabinet subs e quent l y f ol l owe d s u i t throughout the day, hoping to unseat the Labour leader.
Almost 60 former Labour parliamentar y candidates have also called for their leader to resign, arguing that they need someone who looks like a “credible prime minister”.
A source close to Corbyn said the number of resignations was destabilising but ultimately irrelevant unless someone triggered a leadership election. “In many ways, the shadow cabinet is now stronger. There is no shortage of good people who want to do these jobs. The only way to try to replace Jeremy is to stand against him in a democratic contest,” he said, adding that was now “likely to happen”.
Corbyn has seen 20 of his 31 cabinet ministers resign over the past two days, and he has set about replacing them with allies throughout yesterday.
He was also to last night attend a meeting with MPs where he is widely expected to be pressured to resign. At a meeting of parliament yesterday, Corby n faced heckels from his party’s benches of “resign”, whilst also taking a few verbal jabs from Prime Minister David Cameron over t he ongoing revolt wit hin Labour’s ranks.
Meanwhile, Cameron has held a cabinet meeting to set up a new government unit to embark on the task of ending Britain’s 43-year membership, which would make it the first country ever to leave the club. But Cameron, who announced his intention to resign after the results were known on Friday, has said he wants his successor to begin actual Brexit negotiations.
European leaders have instead called for Britain to hurry up and end a damaging wave of uncertainty sweeping Europe.
The Conservative Party yesterday recommended that Cameron’s replacement as party chief and prime minister be installed by September 2 at the latest, with nominations for the post formally closing on Thursday.
Top Brexit campaigner and ex-mayor of London Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Theresa May, who wanted Britain to stay in the European Union but is seen as a unifying candidate, are seen as the favourites.