South Shields MP is promoted in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet reshuffle

Mr McFadden claims he was sacked over comments about terrorism, while Mr Corbyn’s office says he was removed for failing to be loyal to the party leadership.

Ms Thornberry, the Islington South MP and shadow employment minister, had been tipped to take over from Ms Eagle – who has had her own differences with Mr Corbyn over the future of the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons system.

Shadow Culture Secretary Michael Dugher, who had publicly spoken out against the regime on a number of occasions, was sacked, while Blairite Pat McFadden also lost his position as Shadow Europe Minister, leading to the resignation of Shadow Rail Minister Jonathan Reynolds.

Mr Smith said Mr Corbyn was elected party leader with a huge mandate from party supporters and had made an effort to include a wide range of views in the Shadow Cabinet.

There have been claims that Mr Corbyn’s reshuffle would also see Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn replaced or dropped from the shadow cabinet altogether.

“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.

Mr Dugher announced on Twitter today: “Just been sacked by Jeremy Corbyn”.

Gloria De Piero, shadow minister for young people, said: ” In over 20 years of friendship with Michael I have witnessed his tireless commitment and determination to campaign for a Labour government and I know that will continue from the back benches.

He said he “respected” Mr Corbyn’s view that Britain’s nuclear deterrent should be scrapped, but disagreed and could no longer remain as shadow defence minister.

“And if he doesn’t want people in the shadow cabinet who spend more time attacking the Labour Party leadership than the Tory benches opposite us, then he is perfectly within his rights to do that”.

Pat said: “I am delighted with the new role but do not underestimate the size of the job”.

But Mr Corbyn appears to have backed away from getting rid of Mr Benn after agreeing a new set of rules with his shadow team.

“The question is what on earth is the member of Leeds Central and others doing in this Labour party government”.

“I never pretended that I agreed with Mr Corbyn on everything else and it’s not a surprise that I didn’t”.

The source said Ms Eagle – who had clashed with former London mayor Ken Livingstone over a defence policy review they were jointly overseeing – had been keen to take on the culture brief.

It is understood there are still more shadow junior ministerial announcements to come but the shadow cabinet movements are now concluded, with 17 women and 14 men in top jobs. The CSU conference visit forms parts of these continuing talks – with politicians on both the left and right in Germany showing some support for his more controversial proposals, especially a bid to limit access to state welfare for European Union migrants in a new country.

He believes this was interpreted as an attack on the Stop the War Coalition, which Mr Corbyn used to chair.