172 MPs have voted no confidence in the Labour party leader
Labour Party MPs have voted no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn by a margin of 172 to 40.
The secret ballot was held between nine and four today, on the motion ‘that this PLP has no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party.’
It’s rumoured that Angela Eagle and Tom Watson will meet imminently to discuss which of them is best-placed to challenge the Corbyn for the leadership.
With such limited support Corbyn could struggle to get the 51 nominations required to stand.
He would rely on the support of some of the 20 Labour MEPs, which could also be problematic given the criticism of his behaviour during the EU referendum campaign.
However, his team believe that according to party rules he is automatically entitled to appear on the ballot.
Corbyn has already made it clear that he will not stand down, commenting:
‘I was democratically elected leader of our party for a new kind of politics by 60 per cent of Labour members and supporters, and I will not betray them by resigning. Today’s vote by MPs has no constitutional legitimacy.
“We are a democratic party, with a clear constitution. Our people need Labour party members, trade unionists and MPs to unite behind my leadership at a critical time for our country.”
The results have already triggered another resignation — of shadow home office minister Lyn Brown — bringing the total to 52.
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14 Responses to “Corbyn ‘will not betray’ members by resigning”
Trudy
Democracy is dead
Carole-Anne Jones
I am ashamed that 172 MP’s are prepared to stick to fingers up at the very people who voted for them as their representatives and Jeremy Corbyn as the leader of our party. If he is forced to go I will tear up my membership and I will NEVER vote for a traitorous party. Those rebels are a disgrace to themselves and to the Labour Party as a whole!
Bob Entwistle
Why the secrecy of the ballot? what are the PLP members frightened of in an open democracy, or is that the problem? They are too ashamed to
let members of the CLP know who they are?
John Kelly
Once the right-wing decide who their candidate is going to be, currently choice between AE (4th behind TW in deputy leader vote 9 months ago) or TW (I’ll hide in Glastonbury while the party I’m Deputy leader of implodes) the NEC must publish time table for the election and it must be a very quick one. There will only be 2 candidates both well known to party members so no need for a beauty pageant around the country. Any delay will only build support for the challenger, especially given the pressure the members will now be under from the media. We cannot still be fighting a leadership election once the Tories have selected their new one. It’s going to happen let’s get on with it, finish it and get back to fighting the Tories.
Kev Ball
His time is up, he can’t lead the PLP, so he cannot oppose the government and he cannot win over the country. No leader has a mandate for incompetence.