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Brexit: 'Half' of Labour top team set to resign Brexit: 'Half' of Labour top team set to resign
(35 minutes later)
Up to half of the shadow cabinet is set to resign in a bid to force Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to step down, the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg understands. Up to half of the shadow cabinet is set to resign in a bid to oust Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, it is understood.
It follows Mr Corbyn's sacking of shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn. It comes after shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn was sacked overnight after reportedly telling Mr Corbyn he had "lost confidence" in his leadership.
Shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander has said that she is resigning "with a heavy heart". Hours later, shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander said she would resign.
Mr Corbyn faces a vote of no confidence over claims he was "lacklustre" during the EU referendum - but sources close to Mr Corbyn said he would stand again.Mr Corbyn faces a vote of no confidence over claims he was "lacklustre" during the EU referendum - but sources close to Mr Corbyn said he would stand again.
On the sacking of the shadow foreign secretary overnight, a Labour source told the BBC Mr Corbyn had "lost confidence" in Mr Benn. The sources said they were confident that Mr Corbyn would automatically be on the ballot paper in the event of a leadership contest - but different Labour sources disagreed about whether that would be the case.
Meanwhile, a shadow cabinet member told the BBC: "I imagine that there'll be a leadership election and Jeremy will win. But this is a total distraction."
On the sacking of Hilary Benn, a Labour source told the BBC Mr Corbyn had "lost confidence" in Mr Benn.
Newspaper reports suggested Mr Benn had been encouraging shadow ministers to resign if Mr Corbyn ignored a motion of no confidence.
Mr Benn, who is to appear on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show shortly, said there was concern about Mr Corbyn's "leadership and his ability to win an election".Mr Benn, who is to appear on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show shortly, said there was concern about Mr Corbyn's "leadership and his ability to win an election".
He added: "There is no confidence to win the next election if Jeremy continues as leader.He added: "There is no confidence to win the next election if Jeremy continues as leader.
"In a phone call to Jeremy I told him I had lost confidence in his ability to lead the party and he dismissed me.""In a phone call to Jeremy I told him I had lost confidence in his ability to lead the party and he dismissed me."
AnalysisAnalysis
By Chris Mason, BBC political correspondentBy Chris Mason, BBC political correspondent
We expect further shadow cabinet ministers to resign in the coming hours.We expect further shadow cabinet ministers to resign in the coming hours.
Why? In essence because they felt that Jeremy Corbyn was driving with the handbrake on during the EU referendum campaign, just wasn't putting enough into it and also, and crucially, many Labour MPs think now, given that there is going to be a new prime minister soon, there is the real prospect of a general election sooner rather than later.Why? In essence because they felt that Jeremy Corbyn was driving with the handbrake on during the EU referendum campaign, just wasn't putting enough into it and also, and crucially, many Labour MPs think now, given that there is going to be a new prime minister soon, there is the real prospect of a general election sooner rather than later.
And they fear, in the words of one Labour MP yesterday, that if Jeremy Corbyn is leading the party at that general election that Labour will be wiped out.And they fear, in the words of one Labour MP yesterday, that if Jeremy Corbyn is leading the party at that general election that Labour will be wiped out.
But despite all this turbulence at Westminster that doesn't guarantee, from the perspective of MPs, that they will succeed in getting rid of him.But despite all this turbulence at Westminster that doesn't guarantee, from the perspective of MPs, that they will succeed in getting rid of him.
That's because - and this gulf within the Labour movement is still as wide now as it's ever been - loads of party members and Labour supporters think Jeremy Corbyn is brilliant.That's because - and this gulf within the Labour movement is still as wide now as it's ever been - loads of party members and Labour supporters think Jeremy Corbyn is brilliant.
The Labour party campaigned for Remain during the referendum, which saw the UK voting to leave the EU by 52% to 48% on Thursday. The Labour Party campaigned for Remain during the referendum, which saw the UK voting to leave the EU by 52% to 48% on Thursday.
Ms Alexander, who joined Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet last year, tweeted: "It is with a heavy heart that I have this morning resigned from the shadow cabinet." But Mr Corbyn - who has been a long-standing critic of the EU and who is regarded as the most Eurosceptic Labour leader in years - was criticised by some in his party for not making the case for the EU forcefully enough.
Hours after Mr Benn's sacking, shadow health secretary Ms Alexander, who joined Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet last year, tweeted: "It is with a heavy heart that I have this morning resigned from the shadow cabinet."
In a letter to the Labour leader, she wrote: "Our country needs an effective opposition which can hold the government to account."In a letter to the Labour leader, she wrote: "Our country needs an effective opposition which can hold the government to account."
The letter continued: "As much as I respect you as a man of principle, I do not believe you have the capacity to shape the answers our country is demanding and I believe that if we are to form the next government, a change of leadership is essential."The letter continued: "As much as I respect you as a man of principle, I do not believe you have the capacity to shape the answers our country is demanding and I believe that if we are to form the next government, a change of leadership is essential."
Sources told the BBC shadow chancellor John McDonnell was standing by Mr Corbyn, saying that anyone who resigned would be replaced.
Speaking to BBC News, Labour MP Stephen Kinnock said of Labour's EU referendum campaign: "I think that our campaign was not Labour's finest hour."
He said Mr Corbyn's input was "lacklustre and half-hearted" and he added that if the party had got more Labour voters on side, Remain would have won.
The referendum had changed British politics, he said, and we can't "just pretend it's business as usual", describing it as the "biggest crisis since the second world war".
Ben Bradshaw, who served in Gordon Brown's government and in opposition under Ed Miliband, said Labour faced being "wiped out" under Mr Corbyn at the next general election, which he said was neither good for the country nor the party.
He said his party needed to "think very carefully" whether Mr Corbyn would win an election, and if he could do the "right job" for the next days and weeks to help "steer Britain as opposition leader through this very, very dangerous period".