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| Jeremy Corbyn faces no-confidence motion after Britain votes to leave EU | Jeremy Corbyn faces no-confidence motion after Britain votes to leave EU |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn is facing a challenge to his leadership after two senior Labour politicians submitted a motion of no confidence to be voted on during a meeting of MPs next week. | Jeremy Corbyn is facing a challenge to his leadership after two senior Labour politicians submitted a motion of no confidence to be voted on during a meeting of MPs next week. |
| Margaret Hodge and Ann Coffey have written to the chair of the parliamentary Labour party, John Cryer, asking for “urgent consideration”. | Margaret Hodge and Ann Coffey have written to the chair of the parliamentary Labour party, John Cryer, asking for “urgent consideration”. |
| MPs across the party said they were ready to back the move that would first trigger a show of hands at a PLP meeting this Monday, or next, then a secret ballot. | MPs across the party said they were ready to back the move that would first trigger a show of hands at a PLP meeting this Monday, or next, then a secret ballot. |
| Corbyn faced his top team during a “sombre and serious” shadow cabinet meeting that started at 10am and lasted for almost three hours. A number of frontbenchers questioned whether Labour had done enough in its heartlands to bring out its traditional vote. Some voiced their frustration at their leader’s decision not to enter the fray earlier. | Corbyn faced his top team during a “sombre and serious” shadow cabinet meeting that started at 10am and lasted for almost three hours. A number of frontbenchers questioned whether Labour had done enough in its heartlands to bring out its traditional vote. Some voiced their frustration at their leader’s decision not to enter the fray earlier. |
| Some of the MPs were furious about a script sent out by the leadership team at 6am suggesting they tell the media that Labour was closer to the “centre of gravity of the British public” than others because Corbyn was a “critical remainer”. | Some of the MPs were furious about a script sent out by the leadership team at 6am suggesting they tell the media that Labour was closer to the “centre of gravity of the British public” than others because Corbyn was a “critical remainer”. |
| The leader did not respond to repeated requests to put forward new proposals on immigration. Many privately support the effort by Hodge to challenge Corbyn’s position, pointing out that she has “very little to lose” as she is nearing the end of her career. | The leader did not respond to repeated requests to put forward new proposals on immigration. Many privately support the effort by Hodge to challenge Corbyn’s position, pointing out that she has “very little to lose” as she is nearing the end of her career. |
| But there is a big divide in the party, with some potential leadership hopefuls warning that it would be better to let Corbyn lose an election, before he is challenged. Many of the party’s MPs think he would have no chance of victory against a rejuvenated Eurosceptic Conservative party. | |
| If there is an obvious majority in favour of the no-confidence motion at the PLP meeting, some MPs will try to encourage Corbyn to go bloodlessly. | If there is an obvious majority in favour of the no-confidence motion at the PLP meeting, some MPs will try to encourage Corbyn to go bloodlessly. |
| The leader’s allies insist that his sceptical tone throughout the referendum, and refusal to share a platform with the prime minister, more closely reflected the public’s feelings than the “rah-rah Europe” approach of some of his colleagues. | The leader’s allies insist that his sceptical tone throughout the referendum, and refusal to share a platform with the prime minister, more closely reflected the public’s feelings than the “rah-rah Europe” approach of some of his colleagues. |
| But others blame what they regard as his lukewarm endorsement for Britain remaining in the EU for the public’s decision to back Brexit. | But others blame what they regard as his lukewarm endorsement for Britain remaining in the EU for the public’s decision to back Brexit. |
| Angela Smith, the MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, broke ranks to tell Sky News that Corbyn had shown “insufficient leadership” and should stand down. | Angela Smith, the MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, broke ranks to tell Sky News that Corbyn had shown “insufficient leadership” and should stand down. |
| Peter Mandelson, the former Labour minister and EU commissioner, said the referendum campaign showed Corbyn “can’t cut it” as leader – and warned that a snap election could expose the shortcomings in the leadership team. | |
| Lord Mandelson told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “I think it is more likely than not that the incoming prime minister will want to get his or her own mandate. It is what Gordon Brown didn’t do when he succeeded Tony Blair and I think there is a lesson there to be learned. | |
| “And I would not be at all surprised if they went for a general election, and of course that raises a massive question for the Labour party and whether we are ready to fight an election as well.” | “And I would not be at all surprised if they went for a general election, and of course that raises a massive question for the Labour party and whether we are ready to fight an election as well.” |
| There are concerns that the party’s core supporters do not trust Corbyn to deal with worries over uncontrolled immigration, given his desire to paint a rosier picture of the impact of freedom of movement. | There are concerns that the party’s core supporters do not trust Corbyn to deal with worries over uncontrolled immigration, given his desire to paint a rosier picture of the impact of freedom of movement. |
| Voters in areas that have traditionally voted Labour, including those in Sunderland, South Tyneside and Swansea, swung heavily behind Brexit. | Voters in areas that have traditionally voted Labour, including those in Sunderland, South Tyneside and Swansea, swung heavily behind Brexit. |
| Corbyn, a long-time Eurosceptic, defended his conduct in the campaign amid criticisms that he offered no more than lukewarm support for remain, blaming government austerity cuts for alienating voters. | |
| “A lot of the message that has come back from this is that many communities are fed up with cuts, they are fed up with economic dislocation and feel very angry at the way they have been betrayed and marginalised by successive governments in very poor areas of the country,” he said. | “A lot of the message that has come back from this is that many communities are fed up with cuts, they are fed up with economic dislocation and feel very angry at the way they have been betrayed and marginalised by successive governments in very poor areas of the country,” he said. |
| “The point I was making was there were good things that had come from Europe in working conditions and environmental protections but there were other issues that had not been addressed properly.” | “The point I was making was there were good things that had come from Europe in working conditions and environmental protections but there were other issues that had not been addressed properly.” |
| John Mann, the MP for Bassetlaw who came out to back leave in the final weeks of the campaign, said the party was paying the price for ignoring the concerns of working-class people on issues such as immigration. | |
| “Labour has gone wrong by not being in touch with its voters, I’ve been saying this for the last 10 years in relation to immigration and free movement of labour,” he said. | “Labour has gone wrong by not being in touch with its voters, I’ve been saying this for the last 10 years in relation to immigration and free movement of labour,” he said. |
| Mann, one of Corbyn’s fiercest critics in the party, acknowledged he would carry on as leader but said he had to “get out there talking to these voters, which he hasn’t been doing”. | Mann, one of Corbyn’s fiercest critics in the party, acknowledged he would carry on as leader but said he had to “get out there talking to these voters, which he hasn’t been doing”. |
| One senior Labour source said the mood within the party was one of “utter devastation, despair, horror” but said it would be a mistake to change leader. | One senior Labour source said the mood within the party was one of “utter devastation, despair, horror” but said it would be a mistake to change leader. |
| The source added: “The simple fact remains that if you hijack a national tragedy to try to get rid of a leader you don’t like, it looks self-serving.” | The source added: “The simple fact remains that if you hijack a national tragedy to try to get rid of a leader you don’t like, it looks self-serving.” |
| Former minister Chris Bryant turned on former leader Ed Miliband, whose overhaul of the party’s rulebook was widely seen to have paved the way for Corbyn’s election as leader. | Former minister Chris Bryant turned on former leader Ed Miliband, whose overhaul of the party’s rulebook was widely seen to have paved the way for Corbyn’s election as leader. |
| “I might go and punch him because he’s a tosspot and he left the party in the state it’s in,” he said. | “I might go and punch him because he’s a tosspot and he left the party in the state it’s in,” he said. |
| Tony Blair, Labour’s last prime minister, declined an invitation to criticise Corbyn on Sky News, instead saying “there are much bigger questions” for the party if it is to survive and take on Ukip. | Tony Blair, Labour’s last prime minister, declined an invitation to criticise Corbyn on Sky News, instead saying “there are much bigger questions” for the party if it is to survive and take on Ukip. |
| “Labour has to get its act together. The Labour party is going to have to find its passion to solve the problems that people face,” he said. | “Labour has to get its act together. The Labour party is going to have to find its passion to solve the problems that people face,” he said. |