Corbyn Hit By Third Post-Reshuffle Resignation

Two Labour frontbenchers have quit after party leader Jeremy Corbyn sacked two “disloyal” senior figures and promoted a Trident opponent in a so-called “revenge reshuffle”.

Shadow railways minister Jonathan Reynolds, shadow foreign affairs minister Stephen Doughty and shadow minister for the armed forces Kevan Jones resigned in protest over the sackings today.

When asked about his exchanges with Michael Dugher, whom he sacked as Shadow Culture Secretary, he said: “We’ve had an exchange of views”.

An ally of Mr Corbyn accused centrist MPs of conducting a “deliberate” and “co-ordinated” effort to undermine the leadership by “lying” about the reasons for Mr McFadden’s sacking.

Labour said on Wednesday Emily Thornberry would replace Maria Eagle as defence spokeswoman.

Several Labour shadow cabinet lawmakers have openly disagreed with Corbyn and his positions during his four short months at the helm – especially in foreign and defense policy issues like intervention in Syria and the UK’s nuclear weapons.

He said he would be carrying on with his job “exactly as before”.

Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn was tonight conducting a reshuffle of his junior ministerial ranks, although it is not known how long it will take after the initial shake-up lasted 36 hours.

But Jonathan Reynolds, the party’s rail spokesman, said in his resignation letter posted on Facebook: “I understand your need for a greater degree of discipline on the front bench and therefore believe it would be more appropriate to advocate these causes as a backbencher (a rank and file Labour lawmaker)”.

Jones said he “personally got on very well” with Corbyn but believed “the people around him are advising him very badly”.

Fundamentally I agree with everything that Pat McFadden said about terrorism and national security, and about not being seen to have a narrative that this is somehow the West that is responsible.

Labour MPs are unhappy that Livingstone is heading the defence review because, along with Corbyn, he is a long-time anti-nuclear activist. Two days to make a decision over who was going where, shuffling members into seemingly unsuitable positions and removing those members that have been dedicated members of the Party for years, and highly respected Shadow Cabinet Members.

“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.

“And I think that’s who I am, a lot of people with the Christian faith with recognise those traits in themselves whatever jobs they do”. The Labour benches, which greeted Corbyn in near-total silence, weren’t amused but the Tories cried “more! more!”

Anti-Trident MP Emily Thornberry take the defence brief from Maria Eagle, paving the way for a unilateral defence policy.

He said he agreed with Jeremy Corbyn on a number of issues, but added: “It is really, really sad the number of lies and unfortunate statements that are coming out from the leader’s office about the situation”.

“But don’t underestimate the determination of the Labour Party to achieve on housing, achieve on social justice, achieve on a developing economy, achieve on manufacturing”.