Labour leader Corbyn: Quitting would betray grassroots supporters

British Labour party MPs voted massively against their leader on Tuesday amid political turmoil in Britain after a vote to leave the European Union as candidates to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron vied for power behind the scenes.

“Labour has the responsibility to give a lead where the government will not”.

The fear for the rebels seeking to oust Mr Corbyn is that the grassroots activists who propelled him to the leadership a year ago will return him again in any new contest leaving him even more firmly entrenched in his position.

Labour’s shadow chancellor John McDonnell told Sky News Mr Corbyn remains “defiant” and is “up for a leadership challenge”.

However, the party’s MP for South Shields, Emma Lewell-Buck, said in her letter resigning as shadow minister that she was “appalled” at the way Mr Corbyn was being treated. I think it is really sad that colleagues have chosen to stage this three-ring circus because they don’t want to have a leadership election because they are not certain of winning a leadership election.

Though most of his cabinet resigned after the Brexit vote, Corbyn’s allies maintain he’s still popular in the party and think he could win a challenge.

“All we are saying to Labour MPs is, play by the rules of our party and, if there is to be a democratic election, respect the decisions of our members”.

He added that he had spoken to Jeremy Corbyn yesterday to see if they could reach a “negotiated settlement”, but found the leader “unwilling to move from his position”.

“There are a lot of flat earthers out there who have got to come to terms with the fact the world is not as they like it”, the source said.

The leader’s office had insisted the non-binding vote would have no impact on his leadership as he has a mandate from Labour members, but rebels have intensified calls for him to resign.

Speaking at the Houses of Parliament in London today, the outgoing prime minister said: “It might be in my party’s interest for him to sit there”.

She told him it was “absolutely clear that your continued leadership is putting the Labour Party’s future in jeopardy”.

Although Corbyn has reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet following a wave of resignations, a leaked party document seen by PoliticsHome shows he still has 40 vacancies to fill.