The shadow business secretary, Angela Eagle, has become the latest high-profile Labour MP to step down from Jeremy Corbyn’s cabinet today.
Advertisement
She says: “The comeback needed from Labour’s disastrous 2015 election requires a swing from the Conservatives to Labour never previously achieved”.
Sky News Political Correspondent Tamara Cohen, commenting on the reshuffle, said: “The question for Jeremy Corbyn now is: can he keep shuffling the pack when he’s running out of cards?”
Jeremy Corbyn’s authority was in tatters after two-thirds of his shadow cabinet quit in an open revolt against his leadership.
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn faces the media as he leaves his house in London, Sunday June 26.
The local Constituency Labour Party held an “emergency meeting” to discuss the move, and supported a position of no confidence.
Unwavering support for the Labour leader came also from one of Britain’s biggest trade unions, Unison, whose general secretary Dave Prentis urged his members to unite in times of “huge threats to our economy”.
The resignations on Sunday included East Hull MP Karl Turner, shadow attorney general, who said the country was “calling out for strong leadership”. We need to be reaching out to the millions of Labour voters who voted us out of the European Union, listen to them and work together to find the solutions we need.
They said: “The lack of confidence in the leadership goes beyond the small group of MPs who have consistently opposed Jeremy since his election”.
Mr David held a variety of roles including Shadow Minister of State for Justice, Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and Shadow Minister of State for Scotland.
The Labour leader was flanked by stony-faced deputy leader Tom Watson as he delivered the rebuke to his MPs in the Commons.
Watson warned the Labour leader he faces a leadership challenge but fell short of asking him to resign.
Several aides to Corbyn’s team also resigned.
A fuller statement then was posted on her website that read: “Thursday’s EU Referendum result was a disaster for our country and for the UK Labour Party”.
“Those who want to change Labour’s leadership will have to stand in a democratic election, in which I will be a candidate”, Corbyn said.
The Chancellor said: “It will not be plain sailing in the days ahead”.
The motion has no formal constitutional force but calls for a discussion at the next meeting of Labour MPs on Monday.
Advertisement
“There was such huge support for him and, speaking to my members over the weekend, it was clear the vast majority of my membership was still supporting Jeremy, so I think it’s right that I do”.
