Europe News

EU referendum: Over 50 UK Labour Party Cabinet Members Resign after Vote

Fifty-five ministers and aides of the U.K.'s Labour party have resigned since Sunday, in response to low confidence in party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Fifty-five ministers and aides of the U.K.’s Labour party have resigned since Sunday, in response to low confidence in party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

This was spurred by the firing of Hilary Benn.

Corbyn has remained committed to his role.

“We are not moving at all,” a spokesperson for Corbyn said. “We will not allow a coup in the back corridors in Parliament to succeed. If MPs want to get rid of Jeremy Corbyn, they will have to do so in a dramatic leadership contest.”

“Following the referendum result, we believe we in Labour have a unique responsibility to show collective leadership to help bring the country through these difficult times,” former shadow minister of state for energy and climate change Lisa Nandy and former shadow secretary for work and pensions Owen Smith said in a joint statement announcing their resignations. “It has become clear that [Corbyn] is unable to form a broad, inclusive shadow cabinet that draws on the best of our movement’s left and right traditions.”

They both called for Deputy Leader Tom Watson to take over as a “caretaker leader.”

A full list of resignations since Sunday:

In response, Corbyn announced a reshuffle of party leadership on Monday.

 

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