Two North West MPs join Jeremy Corbyn’s frontbench as Labour infighting continues

Maria Eagle has been moved from the key shadow defence secretary role and replaced by Emily Thornberry – known to share Mr Corbyn’s views on scrapping Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

Europe shadow secretary Pat McFadden said he had been sacked in part because of comments he made in parliament seemingly at odds with statements Corbyn had made on the causes of terrorism.

On Hilary Benn, who was tipped to lose his seat as shadow foreign secretary, but who will stay in post on the understanding he toes the line publicly with the leader on foreign policy, he said: “I’ve had lots of conversations with Hilary Benn and we get on fine”.

Mrs Thornberry, 55, is known to also oppose Trident, and installing her was seen as crucial for the Labour leader, with a vote on renewing it due soon.

He said: “The real casualty today has been the ‘new politics” that we were all promised four months ago by Jeremy and I think that’s a real shame, a real squandered opportunity.

To gales of laughter from Tory MPs, and smirks from some opposition MPs, the Prime Minister told Labour: ‘Never mind how many Eagles we end up with, I think you have all worked out you’ve got an albatross at the head of your party’.

Benn was also forced to deny he was issued with a gaging order banning him from criticising the leader in public.

“Hilary Benn has ensured that he works more closely with Jeremy in the future and that he will be representing the views of the Labour Party”, Corbyn’s closest confidante McDonnell said.

During the Labour leadership campaign, Corbyn said he believed North Atlantic Treaty Organisation “should have been would up in 1990” but stopped short of advocating withdrawal. Jones said there was “nothing straightforward or honest” about the way in which the changes were made.

A historic change in the reshuffle was the appointment of Ms Thornberry as defence spokesman – the first supporter of unilateral nuclear disarmament in that position for three decades.

In a letter to the Labour leader, Mr Reynolds specifically refers to the sacking of the shadow Europe secretary Pat McFadden as he explains why he no longer wishes to remain on the party’s frontbench.

It comes after incumbent Michael Dugher said he had been sacked on Tuesday.

He said: “This reshuffle shows that a divided Labour Party is a threat to national security”.

“He came to the view that with both Michael and with Pat he didn’t feel he had confidence in them”, he told Sky News.

The former Number 10 aide to Gordon Brown said Mr McDonnell’s “clique” jibe was “a deeply insulting thing to say to people who have given good service to the Labour Party, who agreed to go and serve in Jeremy’s frontbench despite the clear differences they had”.

“He has recognised the mandate that Jeremy Corbyn has with our members, an overwhelming mandate, and he’ll recognise his leadership on this issue”.

But Mr Benn declared as he left his London home: “I have not been muzzled”.