Pressure mounting on Labour leader Corbyn to resign in face of Brexit victory
Jeremy Corbyn is facing increasing pressure to step down from MPs who claim the Labour leader did not do enough during the referendum campaign, in the wake of the Leave victory.
"Jeremy Corbyn has got to take responsibility. He should consider his position. He's shown insufficient leadership," Labour MP Angela Smith has said.
Labour MP Angela Smith: "Jeremy Corbyn has got to take responsibility. He should consider his position. He's shown insufficient leadership."
— Jack Blanchard (@Jack_Blanchard_) June 24, 2016
Another unnamed Labour MP told the Telegraph: “Corbyn has to go. The referendum proved he is worse than even his worst critics said he would be,” an unnamed Labour MP told the Telegraph.
“Even people who supported him have seen he is not up to it. He can't motivate Labour voters, let alone persuade anyone else.”
Corbyn however dismissed reports that MPs were blaming him for the referendum’s results.
"I can't believe there's any attacks on me personally on a day like this," he said outside the Houses of Parliament.
The shadow cabinet is reportedly holding a meeting Friday morning to discuss the future of the party amid reports that at least 55 Labour MPs will sign a letter next week calling for Corbyn to step down.
Senior Labour MP tells me party faces "existential threat" and shadow cabinet have "moral responsibility to move against Corbyn".
— George Eaton (@georgeeaton) June 24, 2016
MPs Ann Coffey and Margaret Hodge are calling for a motion of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn. The veteran MPs confirmed the move in a letter to the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). The letter mandates that the motion be discussed at the next PLP meeting on Monday. If accepted, it would be followed by a secret ballot on Tuesday.
The reports come after a leaked Labour briefing instructed MPs to tell reporters that Corbyn is the “only politician who can unite a divided country, as he can speak to both sides.”
Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair piled in on the attacks against Corbyn, saying that his “lukewarm” campaigning for the EU failed to galvanize supporters and unify the party.
During the Labour campaign, polls revealed that as many as half of Labour voters did not know their party’s official position on the referendum.
Understand motion of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn to be tabled at Monday's PLP.
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) June 24, 2016
Though a former Euroskeptic, Corbyn campaigned for Remain, but had refused to share a platform with Prime Minister David Cameron, who announced his resignation this morning.
Corbyn said earlier this week that "I'm not going to take blame for people's decision. Obviously I'm hoping there's going to be a Remain vote but there may not. Whatever the result, that is the result of the referendum and we've got to work with it."
