Eight members of the shadow cabinet quit on Monday, with A ngela Eagle, who as shadow first secretary of state deputised for Mr Corbyn at Prime Minister’s Questions, the most senior.
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Addressing the House of Commons on Monday, barely three days after resigning as Prime Minister following last week’s European Union referendum result, he had a cheeky dig at Labour’s rapidly depleting quota of shadow cabinet ministers.
The isolated Labour leader has been hit by more than 40 resignations from the shadow cabinet and junior minister positions.
The Labour leader has been heavily criticised for his lack of commitment to the Remain campaign ahead of last week’s European Union referendum, with one party colleague labelling Mr Corbyn’s efforts as “lacklustre”. All of those resigning will remain elected members of parliament.
Mr McDonnell was asked whether deputy leader Tom Watson was offering full support to the leader.
Other appointments confirmed by Mr Corbyn in his reshuffle were Pat Glass as shadow education secretary, Andy McDonald in the transport brief, Clive Lewis takes defence, Rebecca Long-Bailey will be shadow chief secretary and Kate Osamor is the new shadow development secretary. “And I felt it was important to say that”. “I had to chase round and get him to phone me”, she said.
Gavin Callaghan, who stood for election in Basildon and Billericay, was one of 57 candidates from the 2015 General Election to sign the letter, sent to Parliamentary Labour Party chairman John Cryer.
She said: “He needs to realise that he can’t lead us into a General Election”.
“If some members of the Parliamentary Labour Party want a leadership election, they can trigger that and there’ll be another leadership election and the members will decide”.
That’s because – and this gulf within the Labour movement is still as wide now as it’s ever been – loads of party members and Labour supporters think Jeremy Corbyn is brilliant.
The letter continued: “As much as I respect you as a man of principle, I do not believe you have the capacity to shape the answers our country is demanding and I believe that if we are to form the next government, a change of leadership is essential”.
But shadow global development secretary Diane Abbott – who describes herself as a “party loyalist” – played down the prospect of a no confidence vote.
“This vote of no confidence does not exist in the Labour Party rule book”.
Watson hinted yesterday that he will tell Corbyn it is time to go, but Corbyn’s allies are saying that the leader will say he is carrying on.
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Late on Sunday evening, Corbyn issued a bullish statement and vowed to continue as leader despite the resignations.
