All change at the Labour Party as resignations stack up and Corbyn announces a new cabinet
The second day of chaos in the Labour Party has begun, with a string of front bench resignations and a new cabinet announced by Jeremy Corbyn.
Around ten ministers and parliamentary private secretaries (PPS) have quit this morning, following yesterday's pandemonium in the party which resulted in one-third of Corbyn's shadow cabinet leaving.
Corbyn responded before the resignations had even finished coming through, announcing his new top team, promoting loyalists to the cabinet and handing big posts to those who have backed the leader including Emily Thornberry and Diane Abbott.
The resignations begun around 8am with Toby Perkins, shadow armed forces minister, Anna Turley, shadow civil society minister, Diana Johnson, shadow foreign office minister, and Yvonne Fovargue, shadow business minister all quitting this morning.
In with the new
| Shadow foreign secretary | Emily Thornberry |
| Shadow health secretary | Diane Abbott |
| Shadow education secretary | Pat Glass |
| Shadow transport secretary | Andy McDonald |
| Shadow defence secretary | Clive Lewis |
| Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury | Rebecca Long-Bailey |
| Shadow international development secretary | Kate Osamor |
| Shadow environment, food and rural affairs secretary | Rachel Maskell |
| Shadow voter engagement and youth affairs | Cat Smith |
| Shadow Northern Ireland secretary | Dave Anderson |
They were quickly followed by a number of people holding PPS role,s including Jess Phillips, at shadow education, Steve Reed, a deputy at the shadow local government team, Stephen Kinnock, understudy to shadow business minister Angela Eagle, along with Neil Coyle and Chris Matherson.
In their resignation letters, the MPs said they had growing concern Labour members were turning against the leader and feared Labour would take a heavy hit in any snap general election.
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"I have had a number of party members, and many many Labour voting members of the public, tell me this weekend that they do not have confidence in your leadership," Turley wrote in her letter.
Perkins added: "I am still uncertain whether you believe you did all you could to secure votes during the recent EU referendum campaign and this ambiguity certainly fed through to voters.
I have informed Jeremy Corbyn that I am resigning from my post of Shadow Armed Forces Minister. My letter attached. pic.twitter.com/8ui8lGHVUP
— Toby Perkins MP (@tobyperkinsmp) June 27, 2016
"The majority who have contacted me also recognise that you are not destined to become prime minister and hope that you will stand down at the earliest opportunity to allow our party to approach the next general election with confidence."
The string of co-ordinated resignations comes ahead of a tense meeting of the parliamentary Labour party this evening, where MPs will debate a motion of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn before a vote of MPs tomorrow.
It is with great sadness that I just sent my resignation as Shadow Minister for Civil Society to Jeremy Corbyn. pic.twitter.com/DDUgtff70Q
— Anna Turley 🌹🐝💙🇺🇦 (@annaturley) June 27, 2016
Corbyn hit back against the rebels late last night, saying he intends to fight off the attempted coup and will put his name forward to a vote of party members in any leadership contest that follows.
More resignations are expected to follow today, with shadow business secretary Angela Eagle expected to leave the cabinet later today following the resignation of her parliamentary aide, Stephen Kinnock and other members of her team.