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EU referendum: Jeremy Corbyn aides deny leader to resign EU referendum: Corbyn will fight any leadership challenge
(about 1 hour later)
Aides to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn have denied he is on the verge of resigning, following the UK's decision to leave the EU. Jeremy Corbyn has said he will not stand down if there is a challenge to his leadership of the Labour Party.
Mr Corbyn is giving a speech in London to set out how the party should move forward. He is facing a vote of no confidence over what some of his MPs called his "lacklustre" campaigning for Remain in the EU referendum.
The Labour leader is being blamed by some of his own MPs for not campaigning hard enough to keep Britain in the EU. He cited a petition urging him to stay on and vowed to fight to protect workers' rights in Brexit negotiations.
Two Labour MPs have submitted a motion of no confidence in him - but Mr Corbyn has insisted he is "carrying on". He also announced a review of immigration policy and ruled out a new EU referendum if Labour wins power.
One of the MPs backing the no confidence motion, Ann Coffey, told BBC News: "The result of the referendum was a disastrous result for us and the leadership must bear a share of the responsibility for that. He said: "The referendum has taken place, a decision has been made, I think we have got to respect that decision and work out our relationship with Europe in the future."
An online petition calling for a second referendum has passed a million signatures.
'Totally amazed'
Mr Corbyn was quizzed at an event in London about claims he had run a "half-hearted" campaign for a Remain vote in the EU referendum.
He said: "Two-thirds of Labour voters voted for Remain in response to our party's call for that."
He argued that he ran a campaign, travelling the length and breadth of the country, pointing out difficulties in the EU, while calling for better levels of protection as part of the EU.
Mr Corbyn added: "There are some people in the Parliamentary Labour Party who would probably want somebody else being the leader of this party, they have made that abundantly clear in the past few days."
Asked if he would stand again if there was a challenge to his leadership, he said: "Yes, I'm here, thank you."
He said he had been "totally amazed" that an online petition has attracted 140,000 signatures from people who do not want Labour spending the next two months debating the party's leadership.
He blamed the media for focusing on Conservative Party infighting rather than on the Labour message for the UK to remain in the EU.
'Half-hearted''Half-hearted'
He said he was not afraid to discuss the issue of immigration but declined to say whether Labour might now back a more restrictive immigration policy or a points-based system.
In a speech, he vowed to ensure Labour's voice was heard on workers' rights, protecting the environment and human rights in the negotiations on Britain's exit from the EU - and he suggested those negotiations should happen soon .
"The whole country has got to come together in the wake of what has been a very divisive referendum campaign, discuss the consequences calmly and rationally, and I want Labour to lead that debate," he told supporters.
The Labour leader is being blamed by some of his own MPs for not campaigning hard enough to keep Britain in the EU.
Two Labour MPs - Dame Margaret Hodge and Ann Coffey - have submitted a motion of no confidence in him.
Mrs Coffey told BBC News: "The result of the referendum was a disastrous result for us and the leadership must bear a share of the responsibility for that.
"It was a lacklustre campaign, it didn't contain a strong enough message and the leader himself appeared half-hearted about it."It was a lacklustre campaign, it didn't contain a strong enough message and the leader himself appeared half-hearted about it.
"If you have got a leader who appears half-hearted, you can hardly be surprised if the public feels the same way.""If you have got a leader who appears half-hearted, you can hardly be surprised if the public feels the same way."
'Decent thing'
The motion has no formal constitutional force but calls for a discussion at the next meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday.The motion has no formal constitutional force but calls for a discussion at the next meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday.
The PLP chairman, Labour MP John Cryer, will decide whether it is debated. If accepted, a secret ballot of Labour MPs could be held on Tuesday.The PLP chairman, Labour MP John Cryer, will decide whether it is debated. If accepted, a secret ballot of Labour MPs could be held on Tuesday.
The motions backers Mrs Coffey and Dame Margaret Hodge hope it will help build a sense that confidence in Mr Corbyn is draining away, forcing him to quit.The motions backers Mrs Coffey and Dame Margaret Hodge hope it will help build a sense that confidence in Mr Corbyn is draining away, forcing him to quit.
Dame Margaret said: "I hope, in the context of a secret ballot, that there will be overwhelming support for this motion I am putting and Jeremy will do the decent thing and resign."Dame Margaret said: "I hope, in the context of a secret ballot, that there will be overwhelming support for this motion I am putting and Jeremy will do the decent thing and resign."
A spokesman for Mr Corbyn labelled Dame Margaret's move as "a bit of a self-indulgent act"A spokesman for Mr Corbyn labelled Dame Margaret's move as "a bit of a self-indulgent act"
'Case for unity'
It would take 50 MPs uniting around an alternative candidate to trigger a new leadership contest but none have so far come forward.It would take 50 MPs uniting around an alternative candidate to trigger a new leadership contest but none have so far come forward.
Speculation that Mr Corbyn could step down and recommend shadow chancellor John McDonnell as his replacement has been dismissed as "nonsense" by Mr McDonnell's aides.Speculation that Mr Corbyn could step down and recommend shadow chancellor John McDonnell as his replacement has been dismissed as "nonsense" by Mr McDonnell's aides.
Mr McDonnell said Mr Corbyn had a mandate to lead the party and predicted that even if Labour MPs forced a fresh leadership election, party members and supporters would back Mr Corbyn again.Mr McDonnell said Mr Corbyn had a mandate to lead the party and predicted that even if Labour MPs forced a fresh leadership election, party members and supporters would back Mr Corbyn again.
Mr McDonnell also denied that Mr Corbyn was responsible for the vote to leave the EU, and added that a general election looked likely before the end of the year, because a new Conservative leader would want to seek a mandate.Mr McDonnell also denied that Mr Corbyn was responsible for the vote to leave the EU, and added that a general election looked likely before the end of the year, because a new Conservative leader would want to seek a mandate.
Speaking on Channel 4 News on Friday, Mr Corbyn said: I'm carrying on.
"I'm making the case for unity, I'm making the case of what Labour can offer to Britain, of decent housing for people, of good secure jobs for people, of trade with Europe and of course with other parts of the world. Because if we don't get the trade issue right we've got a real problem in this country."
'Globalisation''Globalisation'
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the Labour leader had faced frank criticism on Friday, first at a meeting of his shadow cabinet, and then in some tense one-to-one encounters with senior colleagues.BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the Labour leader had faced frank criticism on Friday, first at a meeting of his shadow cabinet, and then in some tense one-to-one encounters with senior colleagues.
By Friday evening, seven other Labour MPs were on record as backing the motion.By Friday evening, seven other Labour MPs were on record as backing the motion.
Labour MP Frank Field - who supported the Leave campaign - said Mr Corbyn "clearly isn't the right person to lead Labour into an election, because nobody thinks he will win".Labour MP Frank Field - who supported the Leave campaign - said Mr Corbyn "clearly isn't the right person to lead Labour into an election, because nobody thinks he will win".
"We clearly need somebody who the public think of as an alternative prime minister," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme."We clearly need somebody who the public think of as an alternative prime minister," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
He admitted the party lacked an obvious alternative to Mr Corbyn, but said he hoped a potential new leader would emerge in a fresh party leadership contest.He admitted the party lacked an obvious alternative to Mr Corbyn, but said he hoped a potential new leader would emerge in a fresh party leadership contest.
Labour was "not very good a listening to the electorate", Mr Field added, saying the party needed to connect with people who were the "losers of globalisation".Labour was "not very good a listening to the electorate", Mr Field added, saying the party needed to connect with people who were the "losers of globalisation".
Union backingUnion backing
Former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie said there were "failures" in Labour's referendum campaign, saying he would need "an awful lot of persuading to have confidence in Jeremy's leadership into a general election".Former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie said there were "failures" in Labour's referendum campaign, saying he would need "an awful lot of persuading to have confidence in Jeremy's leadership into a general election".
Labour MP Stephen Kinnock has also come out in support of the motion, accusing Mr Corbyn of a "lacklustre" campaign, along with former former minister, Ben Bradshaw.Labour MP Stephen Kinnock has also come out in support of the motion, accusing Mr Corbyn of a "lacklustre" campaign, along with former former minister, Ben Bradshaw.
An online petition on the website of campaign organisation 38 Degrees calling for "a vote of confidence in Jeremy Corbyn after Brexit" has attracted more than 90,000 signatures from the general public.An online petition on the website of campaign organisation 38 Degrees calling for "a vote of confidence in Jeremy Corbyn after Brexit" has attracted more than 90,000 signatures from the general public.
However, in a joint statement, union leaders have backed Mr Corbyn to continue as leader, saying the "last thing Labour needs is a manufactured leadership row of its own".However, in a joint statement, union leaders have backed Mr Corbyn to continue as leader, saying the "last thing Labour needs is a manufactured leadership row of its own".
They called for Labour to "unite as a source of national stability" and challenge any attempt to use the referendum result to "introduce a more right-wing Conservative government by the backdoor".They called for Labour to "unite as a source of national stability" and challenge any attempt to use the referendum result to "introduce a more right-wing Conservative government by the backdoor".
Mr Corbyn won an overwhelming victory in last year's Labour leadership contest, but did not have the backing of most MPs.Mr Corbyn won an overwhelming victory in last year's Labour leadership contest, but did not have the backing of most MPs.
The Labour leader had been expected to speak at the Glastonbury Festival this weekend - in a "Jeremy Corbyn in conversation" event, but its organisers say he has pulled out in the wake of the EU referendum result.The Labour leader had been expected to speak at the Glastonbury Festival this weekend - in a "Jeremy Corbyn in conversation" event, but its organisers say he has pulled out in the wake of the EU referendum result.