Jeremy Corbyn’s much-anticipated reshuffle is under way as the leader begins one-to-one discussions with shadow cabinet members.
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The talks followed speculation of a possible “purge” of those with views at odds with the leader, such as Mr Benn’s Commons speech in favour of RAF air strikes in Syria and Ms Eagle’s support for the renewal of the UK’s Trident nuclear deterrent.
Staunch Corbyn supporter Clive Lewis also said he did not want to succeed Ms Eagle, although he stopped short of ruling it out altogether.
Mr Corbyn is due to have held meetings with his aides on the matter earlier this afternoon.
The Labour leader has even been spotted shooing journalists away from his office door so they can’t overhear his conversations with shadow ministers.
She said she would consider a shot at the leadership “a long time in the future”. “Could you all leave, please?”
Labour’s elected deputy leader Tom Watson led a chorus of senior figures bemoaning the “loss” of Mr Dugher, a close ally of former prime minister Gordon Brown, from the shadow cabinet.
But Mr Corbyn faced criticism for allowing rumours of an imminent shadow cabinet shake-up to distract from the task of opposing the Conservatives.
“It’s not civil war”.
“I’ve never seen the party in such a deplorable state”.
“Jeremy said he didn’t like things I’d been writing in defence of good colleagues and new politics”, said t he former shadow culture secretary in a message on Twitter.
Mr Dugher added: “In truth, I don’t see it happening and the reason why I don’t see it happening is because I think it would be inconsistent with what Jeremy has talked about since he got the leadership, which is about room for a little dissent, about having debates”.
“It might well be the case – and I have no knowledge of this – that it would be better to move Hilary Benn to something where he is in agreement with Jeremy Corbyn rather than where he is in disagreement”.
She could replace Mr Benn.
Emily Thornberry (shadow Employment minister): Corbyn brought his fellow Islington MP back to the front bench after she resigned over a “snobby” picture she posted of a house bedecked with England flags.
“You can’t say you want people to be honest and straightforward on one hand and then sack them on the other because they’ve said what they think”.
Mr Khan said he aimed to be “the most pro-business mayor this city has every seen”, stressing his commitment to a new runway at Gatwick Airport and his opposition to the Labour leader’s proposal for a windfall tax on jobs.
However, a “job swap” has been suggested where Mr Burnham would become shadow foreign secretary and Mr Benn take over the home affairs brief. Experts believe no final decisions were taken on Monday night, and chances are the new shadow cabinet line-up would be revealed on Tuesday.
Phillips also said she would consider running for the leadership of the party one day.
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The plan was foiled when Mr Benn responded by threatening to quit the Shadow Cabinet completely.
