Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has lost a vote of no-confidence among the party’s MPs.
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Herein lies another major element of the crisis that is now engulfing the party: The will of Labour parliamentarians appears to be at totally at odds with a large section of the party’s public support.
This means that the Labour leader will continue to serve without the support of a majority of his MPs.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Cameron waded into Labour’s misery, criticising Mr Corbyn’s role in the European Union referendum campaign.
“It’s very important to understand this, a lot of people are saying it’s unconstitutional”.
The former shadow business secretary is among those tipped as a possible challenger to take on Mr Corbyn. According to the Labour party four of these were spoilt, meaning that 81% of Labour MPs voted against their leader. Any more candidates would be too risky given the Labour membership has only just started to turn.
Asked what is going on in her party, she said: “It is a complete shambles and it is a statement of the obvious that Jeremy has got to stand down and allow a new leader to rebuild the party”. But so far his camp hasn’t given any indication that he is minded to resign.
Former deputy leader Harriet Harman, said Mr Corbyn had “no right or mandate” to stay in office. Risks to the economy and living standards are growing.
Yet despite the unprecedented vote and mass resignations from his front bench, Corbyn has refused to step down.
“The government is in disarray”, he said.
Corbyn said the Prime Minister had “two months left” and called on him to make his legacy as such things as “scrapping the bedroom tax” and “cancelling he cuts to universal credit”.
“I believe we now need to move forward under a new leader to rebuild confidence in Labour and start to look like a government in waiting”.
‘Last month, Labour become the largest party in the local elections.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Corbyn said he “will not betray” the Labour members who elected him a year ago by resigning.
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Corbyn, however, has pointed to his backing among the party’s grassroots, insisting that the vote by MPs had “no constitutional legitimacy”. We both have a job of untiing our parliamentary party to be an effective opposition and ultimately a party of government.
