Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has announced 10 new appointments to his shadow cabinet amid a string of resignations from his top team in protest against the left-winger and his performance during the EU referendum campaign.
Emily Thornberry has moved from defence to shadow foreign secretary. Dianne Abbott has move from international development to shadow health secretary. Norwich South MP Clive Lewis, another Corbyn ally, has been appointed to shadow defence secretary. Pat Glass has taken on the role as shadow education secretary.
The reshuffle comes after Hilary Benn was axed as shadow foreign secretary over the weekend for saying that he had no confidence in Corbyn as leader after the UK voted to split from the EU at a 23 June referendum. Labour had campaigned for a Remain vote, but its heartlands backed a Brexit.
Benns sacking triggered mass resignations from Labours shadow cabinet, including Heidi Alexander stepping down from her shadow health secretary role and Lucy Powell quitting as shadow education secretary.
The spell of resignations come throughout Sunday (26 June) and a new batch of Labour MPs quitting Corbyns team started on Monday, with Toby Perkins, the former shadow armed forces minister, and others quitting.
But despite the calls for a new leader, Corbyn, who secured almost 60% of the vote in Labours 2015 leadership election, has remained defiant.
He issued a statement on Sunday evening saying that he would stay on. I was elected by hundreds of thousands of Labour Party members and supporters with an overwhelming mandate for a different kind of politics, Corbyn said.
I regret there have been resignations today from my shadow cabinet. But I am not going to betray the trust of those who voted for me – or the millions of supporters across the country who need Labour to represent them.
Those who want to change Labours leadership will have to stand in a democratic election, in which I will be a candidate.
Over the next 24 hours I will reshape my shadow cabinet and announce a new leadership team to take forward Labours campaign for a fairer Britain - and to get the best deal with Europe for our people.
Labours parliamentary party plan to meet in the House of Commons tonight, after parliament returns from its recess. More than 3,000 pro-Corbyn activists have signed up to take part in a demonstration in Parliament Square at 6pm BST to show their support for the Labour leader. The protest is organised by the pressure group Momentum, which was set-up in the wake of Corbyns leadership victory.
New appointments to Labours shadow cabinet
- 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
