However, four months later he has stepped down on live TV – after controversy within the party over a reshuffle.
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Media reports say, three Labour MPs have quit the party’s front bench in protest at Corbyn’s decision. That electoral disaster prompted the resignation of leader Ed Miliband, and a subsequent flurry of leadership bids followed by the shock emergence of the far-left Corbyn as the victor, sweeping nearly 60 percent of the votes.
In a twist worthy of a political farce, however, Corbyn, a former habitual rebel, won by a landslide, trouncing established contenders Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper. This was just one example of many acrimonious disputes between the Labour leadership and those shadow ministers who were either given out or walked.
The ironic fact that Benn has retained his position and denied that he has been “muzzled” in any manner really does show that Corbyn is not in control of his cabinet, or the direction of the Labour Party. As well as a never-ending reshuffle saga, Corbyn was accused of “low-level non-violent misogyny” over the lack of women in the top roles in his Shadow Cabinet by Labour MP Jess Phillips.
“He clearly feels that me saying that terrorists are entirely responsible for their actions, he clearly interpreted that as an attack on him”.
Asked why the process had taken so long, Mr Corbyn said: “Because it is like playing multi-dimensional chess”.
Maria Eagle has been moved from the key shadow defence secretary role and replaced by Emily Thornberry – known to share Mr Corbyn’s views on scrapping Britain’s nuclear deterrent.
Following the reshuffle, three other frontbenchers quit in response.
Culture spokesman Michael Dugher meanwhile changed his Twitter biography to read “sacked by Jeremy Corbyn for too much straight talking, honest politics” – an ironic twist on Corbyn’s own campaign slogan.
“This building is full of people that speak at great length on lots of things and so I sat in my office until midnight two nights running…”
Mr McFadden is thought to have been sacked for comments made in Parliament in the wake of the Paris massacre on December 13.
Among the most hawkish opposition figures to be reshuffled was nuclear-armament supporter Maria Eagle, who has been moved from defense to the culture portfolio of Corbyn’s shadow cabinet.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell dismissed the trio who have quit as part of a “narrow right-wing clique”.
A number of other shadow ministers have also resigned, including Kevan Jones and Jonathan Reynolds.
Given the “frankly laughable” amount of time it took to enact the minor reshuffle, Cameron said Corbyn “couldn’t run anything”, let alone the government.
Corbyn’s position could ultimately be decided by Labour’s performance in upcoming local and regional elections in May.
“The issues involved go to the heart of Britain’s national security”.
Nick Turnbull, a politics lecturer at the University of Manchester, said the situation inside Labour was “nuts”.
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Former London mayor Ken Livingstone said Labour MPs have no right to override the wishes of the party’s membership on policy.
