Corbyn Tells Labour Rebels: Put Up Or Shut Up

Jeremy Corbyn has said he will not step down as Labour leader, adding he will not "betray the trust" of those who elected him.

In a statement released after 11 frontbenchers quit in a coup aimed at ousting him, Mr Corbyn said any challengers to his leadership "will have to stand in a democratic election, in which I will be a candidate".

Labour was plunged into a civil war after Mr Corbyn sacked shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn on learning he had apparently been planning his downfall.

Braced for further resignations on Monday, the party's leader is banking on support from grassroots members to help him see off the threat, as he prepares for a crunch meeting with his deputy Tom Watson.

Mr Watson failed to explicitly back his leader, saying he had been "deeply disappointed" by Mr Benn's sacking and that Britain needs an effective opposition.

But in a defiant statement released on Sunday night, Mr Corbyn said: "I was elected by hundreds of thousands of Labour Party members and supporters with an overwhelming mandate for a different kind of politics.

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"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 Labour's 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 Labour's campaign for a fairer Britain - and to get the best deal with Europe for our people."

In a stinging parting shot, former shadow leader of the Commons Chris Bryant - the last to resign on Sunday - warned Mr Corbyn that he was in danger of going down in history as "the man who broke the Labour Party".

Shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander was the first to resign, telling Mr Corbyn in a letter: "I do not believe you have the capacity to shape the answers our country is demanding."

She was followed just hours later by shadow children's minister Gloria de Piero, shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray, shadow transport secretary Lilian Greenwood and shadow education secretary Lucy Powell.

Shadow environment secretary Kerry McCarthy, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Seema Malhotra, shadow Northern Ireland secretary Vernon Coaker, shadow Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer and Shadow Attorney General Karl Turner also quit.

As the crisis unfolded, Mr Corbyn met shadow chancellor John McDonnell, election co-ordinator Jon Trickett, and strategy director Seumas Milne, to discuss the mass resignations.

A source close to shadow business secretary Angela Eagle, who has not resigned, said: "She is heartbroken about the position in which the party finds itself and desperately worried we're failing to connect with communities across the country."

A series of senior trade unionists on Labour's ruling national executive committee rallied in support of Mr Corbyn - including Unite leader Len McCluskey and Dave Ward of the Communication Workers Union.

And leadership loser and shadow home secretary Andy Burnham refused to take part in any attempt to unseat Mr Corbyn.

However Mr Corbyn now faces a vote of no confidence which will be discussed at the weekly meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party at Westminster on Monday, with a secret ballot of MPs expected the following day.

The move is symbolic but may trigger a stalking horse candidate to emerge, or a full blown challenge.