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Sunday 26 June 2016

Jeremy Corbyn set for make-or-break talks with Labour deputy Tom Watson after Eleven shadow cabinet members leave in a single day saying he's not up to the job

Jeremy Corbyn faces coup as six shadow cabinet members quit after Hilary Benn sacking
Via - Dailymail

Jeremy Corbyn was hit with a slew of resignations from his shadow cabinet today as moderates staged a coup attempt. Clockwise from top left, Hilary Benn was sacked as shadow foreign secretary for saying the leader should step aside before Lilian Greenwood quit as shadow transport secretary, Lucy Powell as shadow education secretary, Ian Murray as shadow Scottish secretary, Seema Malhotra as shadow chief Treasury secretary, Kerry McCarthy as shadow environment, Gloria de Piero as equalities spokeswoman, Heidi Alexander as shadow health secretary, Vernon Coaker as shadow defence secretary, and Lord Falconer as shadow justice secretary. 



Shadow welsh secretary Nia Griffith is expected to announce her departure shortly and more members of the top team could follow suit later. John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor and fellow frontbencher Jon Trickett, said Mr Corbyn was going nowhere. In a sign of the leadership's defiance, Mr Corbyn's spokesman said: 'There will be no resignation from a democratically elected leader with a strong mandate.'

Jeremy Corbyn is set for make-or-break talks with his Labour deputy Tom Watson after eleven shadow cabinet members left saying he is not up to the job.
Mr Watson significantly refused to condemn the coordinated mutiny against the leader tonight following his sacking of shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn in the early hours of this morning.
Fury has been building in the party's top ranks about Mr Corbyn's shambolic performance during the EU referendum battle - when he repeatedly risked undermining the party's drive to maintain ties with Brussels.
One of the final straws for many appears to have been when he refused to share a pro-EU platform with David Cameron, despite pleading from campaign organisers and Gordon Brown.

Within hours of Mr Benn being fired this morning, Heidi Alexander quit the Shadow Cabinet saying Mr Corbyn lacked the 'capability' to lead the party. She was soon followed by equalities spokeswoman Gloria de Piero, Scottish secretary Ian Murray - Labour's only MP north of the border.
Shadow education secretary Lucy Powell, shadow transport secretary Lilian Greenwood, shadow environment secretary Kerry McCarthy, shadow chief Treasury secretary Seema Malhotra, shadow defence secretary Vernon Coaker, shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer and shadow attorney general Karl Turner have also walked out.
Shadow Welsh secretary Nia Griffith is believed to have written but not yet delivered a resignation letter, MPs also expect Angela Eagle, her sister Maria, Chris Bryant, and Jon Ashworth to declare their departures.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn refused to answer questions from journalists about the attempted coup as he left his London home this morning
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn refused to answer questions from journalists about the attempted coup as he left his London home this morning

But despite the departure of around half the senior team, close Corbyn ally and shadow chancellor John McDonnell insisted he was 'going nowhere' and would replace anyone who leaves his team.
Aides to the leader said appointments would be made 'in due course' - although given Mr Corbyn's paltry support in the parliamentary party finding willing candidates could prove tricky.
Mr Watson - who spent last night dancing at the Glastonbury festival - appears to be lining himself up for the top job by pointedly refusing to criticise the resignations.
He said he was 'saddened' so many colleagues felt unable to carry on and 'deeply disappointed' at the sacking overnight of shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn which triggered the walkout.
'My single focus is to hold the Labour Party together in very turbulent times. The nation needs an effective opposition, particularly as the current leadership of the country is so lamentable,' he said


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