Brexit aftermath as it happened: Labour in crisis as Jeremy Corbyn rocked by shadow cabinet resignations

That's a wrap from IBTimesUK for this live blog for today.

Here's a recap of today's events that saw mass walk outs from the shadow cabinet, with resignations coming from Heidi Alexander, Ian Murray, Lord Charlie Falconer, Seema Malhotra, Vernon Coaker, Gloria de Piero, Karl Turner, Lilian Greenwood, Lucy Powell and Kerry McCarthy.

We're bowing out for the evening, but you can stay up to date on our website for news and views as the political crisis gripping the UK continues to unfold.

Good evening everybody.

Read Karl Turner's resignation letter in full:

Shadow Business Secretary Angela Eagle has not stepped down from her post, according to reports.

Karl Turner has issued his resignation letter in full. Like many of his colleagues who stepped down today, Turner says that Corbyn is a man of principle and dedication, but:

It has become increasingly clear that you do not hold the support of the shadow cabinet and the wider Parliamentary Labour Party. After the result of the referendum, the country is calling out for strong leadership and opposition to this vicious Tory government right now.

Damian McBride, adviser to Emily Thornberry has weighed in on the mass shadow cabinet resignations. Here's what he had to say (or tweet):

A reminder that the shadow defence secretary said earlier today that she has no plans to resign - and neither does the Labour leader. Speaking on Sky News earlier, Thornberry said:

He's not going to stand down. He has been elected less than a year ago on a huge mandate. The one electoral test that he's had - the straight electoral test on the local elections, he did well. We did well as a party. We have now got our country turned upside down and inside out with no idea of where we're going now, we do not go for a leadership challenge now.

Tomorrow's shadow cabinet meeting is reportedly cancelled. Here's why:

Karl Turner becomes the tenth member of the shadow cabinet to resign.

Labour MP Seema Malhotra says she does not see today's wave of shadow cabinet resignations as a "plot".

Speaking on Sky News, the MP for Feltham and Heston said:

What it's about for me is doing the right thing for the country and the party. We need to be a strong and effective opposition - that's our job. [...] We need to be a strong voice at the table in the post-referendum debate to make sure that we've got the best decisions being made and the best deal for Britain going forward in our new relationship with Europe. And I believe it's absolutely vital for Labour's voice to be strong at that table.

Diane Abbott says the idea of parliament voting down the referendum result is "quite wrong." She adds: "We have to respect the will of the people."

In case you missed it, Labour MP David Lammy urged parliament to "wake up" and resist the referendum decision to leave the EU. In yesterday's plea, the MP for Tottenham said that parliament should hold a vote on the matter.

Click here to read the full story.

A BBC Question Time special is being broadcast now. The following are on the panel:

Hackney MP, Diane Abbott
Broxtowe MP, Anna Soubry
SNP MP for Gordon, Alex Salmond
Justice Minister, Dominic Raab
UKIP's Paul Nuttall
South London priest, Giles Fraser

Let's briefly turn our attention to the Tory leadership crisis, because Theresa May is reportedly canvassing support and is expected to announce her leadership bid in the coming days.

Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray says Jeremy Corbyn has to ask himself whether he can realistically see himself as the prime minister.

Speaking to the BBC, Murray said:

"I think Jeremy Corbyn has to look at himself seriously in the mirror and see if he sees himself walking down Downing Street as being prime minister, whether or not there's a general election in six months, or in May 2020. I think he's going to find it very difficult to answer yes to those questions - regrettably. He's a decent human being, a lovely man who I got on incredibly well with, but he just can't lead the Labour Party and I don't think the public think he could be prime minister."

Tom Watson's statement in full, courtesy of the Daily Mirror.

I was deeply disappointed to see Hilary Benn sacked in the early hours of this morning, and equally saddened that so many talented, able and hardworking colleagues felt they had to leave the Shadow Cabinet.
My single focus is to hold the Labour Party together in very turbulent times. The nation needs an effective opposition, particularly as the current leadership of the country is so lamentable.
It's very clear to me that we are heading for an early general election and the Labour Party must be ready to form a government. There's much work to do. I will be meeting Jeremy Corbyn tomorrow morning to discuss the way forward.

No word on his favourite acts at Glastonbury as yet.

Lord Charlie Falconer has resigned.

Tom Watson appears to have broken his silence on the recent sacking of Hilary Benn and the resignations.

It is interesting how organised the day's resignations have been - a steady trickle, designed to inflict the maximum amount of pressure on Jeremy Corbyn. He can't really announce replacements to his cabinet because he doesn't know who else is likely to resign. A lot of speculation about who could be next.

The Labour MP Simon Danczuk, who is not Jeremy Corbyn's biggest fan it has to be said, is offering his services...

According to The Telegraph, Sigmar Gabriel, the German vice-chancellor, is taking a tough line on Brexit negotiations. His quote:

"The British have now decided to go. We will not hold talks about what the EU can still offer the Britons to keep them in. It is clear: You can't be a bit pregnant. Nor have half a partnership."

Arron Banks, the millionaire Ukip donor who funded the unofficial Leave.EU campaign, deploying the charm for which he is famed.

A message from our senior political reporter Ian Silvera.

Corbyn will appoint shadow cabinet "as soon as possible", source close to leader tells me. Another says: "in due course".

Looks like Vernon Coaker has gone.

Dan Jarvis, Tom Watson or Chuka Umunna: Who could replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader?

IBT's own Orlando Crowcroft has all the odds.

It has gone 4:30pm and no further resignations yet...

From Seema Malhotra's resignation letter. She was Corbyn's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.

"I have come to the view that under your leadership we will not be able to build bridges across the party, be the strong official opposition that the country needs or reach out to voters and build confidence in Labour," Malhotra wrote. "I have served in your shadow cabinet with loyalty and respect for the mandate you received in the leadership election, but I believe that we need to recognise that we do not currently look like a government in waiting."

One for the Partridge fans.

From Reuters:

Britain will get a Norway-type deal to keep close economic ties with the European Union but will have no say on decision-making in the bloc after "Brexit" materializes, Finland's former prime minister Alexander Stubb said on Sunday.

The trouble with this is that many Leave voters want immigration to fall. The Norway option would mean retaining the free movement of people across Europe — exactly what many people were voting against. The risk here is those voters will feel stitched up by the establishment if they end up with exactly the thing they thought they had rejected. This is dangerous in an already toxic political atmosphere. How do you square that circle? Over to you, Mr Johnson and Mr Gove.

Things are getting weird.

Maybe there's no crisis meeting after all?

It ain't over till it's over.

Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, already wants to reverse the referendum decision. The Lib Dems will fight the next general election on a platform that would take us back into the EU. Full story here.

Over to the other leadership crisis: Justine Greening, the Tory international development secretary, says it's not good enough to wait until October to select a new Conservative leader (and so prime minister), as David Cameron intends. She wants action sooner. For Conservative Home, Greening writes:

Instead of a leadership contest which could take weeks and months, Boris and Theresa should agree to forge a deal which means they are a united leadership, under one or the other: a united leadership that for the sake of unity I hope the rest of our party could support. Ideally and in normal times, the full party membership would have its say, but there some moments when you absolutely have to put the country's interests first, particularly following this referendum that our own party was so instrumental in enabling to be held.

This is a chart that tells you a lot. Labour is losing touch with its heartlands. And Ukip has been one of the biggest beneficiaries.

Now the unions are weighing in to defend Corbyn against the coup. Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite the Union, has written for the Guardian. He raises the spectre of mandatory re-selections for Labour MPs — an old tool used by militant leftists to unseat moderates.

A new leadership election is divisive and unnecessary. But if enough MPs want one, then bring it on. I am sure that Corbyn will secure a fresh mandate. But let me make two things clear.

First, if anyone is undemocratic enough to think that there can be a new leadership election with the existing leader kept off the ballot, then they are setting the Labour party on course for a split.

And second, Unite has hitherto opposed any plans to change the party rules governing mandatory re-selection of Labour MPs. That, too, we have looked on as a divisive distraction.

But those MPs who have missed no opportunity to tweet and brief against the party's elected leader over the last 10 months will find that their disloyalty finds no favour with party members and will make this an increasingly difficult line to hold.

To continue with Brexit: European leaders are putting ever-more pressure on Britain to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty and formally begin the process of leaving the EU, something which no state has ever done before. From an IBT US report:

Donald Tusk, Jean-Claude Juncker and Martin Schulz, the presidents of the European Council, Commission and Parliament, respectively, along with Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, said that they expected the UK to act on the result of the referendum "as soon as possible, however painful that process may be."

The EU wants to move on quickly so it can contain the growing calls from eurosceptics and nativists within other member states for referendums of their own. But the UK wants to take things slowly and calmly, and the government has indicated that it will only trigger Article 50 when it is ready.

While we've been distracted with the machinations of a Labour party coup, the Brexit boulder rumbles on. Here is John Kerry, the US secretary of state, on the referendum result:. He is due to fly in to London on Monday, 27 June.

One country has made a decision. Obviously, it is a decision that the United States had hoped would go the other way. But it didn't. And so we begin with a fundamental respect for voters. In a democracy, when the voters speak, it is the job of leaders to listen and then to make sure that they are moving in a way that is responsible to address the concerns. I am absolutely convinced – and I say this to the marketplace, I say this to citizens who are wondering what is going on – I am absolutely convinced, President Obama is absolutely convinced that we will be able to work through this in a sensible, thoughtful way that takes the best strengths of the EU, the best strengths of the marketplace, the best interests of our national security and international security, and works to keep them moving in the right direction for our countries.

For all the talk of Labour MPs and members, it's easy to lose sight of who matters most of all: the voters. And what's their verdict? According to one Survation poll, a clear majority think Corbyn should step down as leader of the Labour party.

The pro-Corbyn group within the Labour, Momentum, is planning a protest at parliament to time with a meeting of the party's top brass. Their message? #KeepCorbyn. From the Facebook event page:

The future is uncertain. We face a Tory Brexit, Cameron has resigned and we will likely have a general election with the potential of Britain lurching yet further to the right.

A small number of Labour MPs are using this as an opportunity to oust Jeremy, disrespect the Labour membership who elected him and disregard our movement for a new kind of politics.

We cannot let this undemocratic behaviour succeed.

Join us at 6pm outside Parliament tomorrow, Monday 27th June.

The Parliamentary Labour Party will be meeting inside, so let's make sure they can hear us, the Labour Party members and voters, outside.

#KeepCorbyn. Let's build our movement.

There seems to be a lot of chatter around a "Snapchat group" being used by Labour moderates to plot against Corbyn. But, seeing as there aren't Snapchat groups, it sounds like someone got their wires crossed: it's probably WhatsApp. This is a 21st century political coup.

Jeremy Corbyn has left his home. It's not clear where he is going. Presumably to the office.

Looks like Labour is calling a crisis meeting.

All eyes now on Vernon Coaker and Chris Bryant, two Corbyn cabinet members that are being touted as the next two resignations...

Meanwhile, John McDonnell's media performances this morning have led to some amusing gifs.

Another resignation? The Guardian seems to think so.

SkyNews has made up an excellent graphic showing who is left in the Corbyn cabinet.

Another resignation - this time Kerry McCarthy, shadow environment secretary.

My colleague Shane Croucher has put together an excellent guide on the reservations so far for the Corbyn camp.

There is some good news for Corbyn, however: Andy Burnham is staying put.

Two more quit. So that is five resignations (Alexander, de Piero, Murray, Powell and Greenwood) and one sacking (Benn). More are expected to come.

Over 2,500 people plan to attend a march in London to oppose Brexit on July 9, according to a Facebook page set up by a pro-Remain group.

A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn has told our politics reporter Ian Silvera: "There will be no resignation of a democratically elected leader with a strong mandate."

Pro-Corbyn Twitter feeds have sprung into action this morning, as his allies - Dianne Abbott, Emily Thornberry and John McDonnell - take to the nation's TV networks to defend the Labour leader.

Tom Mendelsohn looked at the reaction of Corbynistas to what some are describing as a 'coup' earlier today.

William Oliver Healy, the pro-Brexit activist that set up the petition for a second referendum on the EU, has made a long statement on his Facebook page, hours after the number of signatures passed three million.

Earlier, he said he was angered that the pro-Remain camp had hijacked his petition, which was originally started a month ago when Healy thought Leave would lose.

Jeremy Corbyn's supporters have unveiled a snazzy new 'twibbon' (no, me neither) that allows the Twitteratti to get behind the Labour leader as his shadow cabinet falls apart.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has suggested that the Scottish parliament could veto the UK's exit from the EU.

This is off the back of a slew of media performances and comments yesterday about the SNP entering talks with the EU about protecting Scotland from Brexit.

More from Ian Silvera

Our political reporter Ian Silvera was on TALK Radio discussing Brexit and its aftermath.

Liam Fox has told the Sunday Politics that he is thinking about running in the Tory leadership campaign, the tease...

I have not decided yet. I am thinking about it, it would be dishonest to say otherwise. But I will make a decision once I have spoken to my colleagues in parliament.

The point being made that De Piero is a close ally of Tom Watson, who has apparently been sighted on a train platform since pictures emerged of Labour's deputy leader living it large at Glastonbury.

We'll be waiting to see how Watson responds to the vultures circulating around his boss.

Tom Mendelsohn has looked into how 'Cobynistas' are reacting to the mounting pressure on Jeremy Corbyn. Read it here.

Jeremy Corbyn's tenure as leader of the Labour Party might not be over, despite the coup against him brewing amongst some MPs. His grassroots supporters have begun to take to social media en masse in an effort to defend the man they see as unfairly under attack from the Blairite right wing of his party.

The starting gun on a coup was fired in the small hours of this morning, when Corbyn sacked Hilary Benn as shadow foreign minister. Soon after, Heidi Alexander resigned as shadow health secretary, amid a whispering campaign from other dissatisfied backbenchers.

More speculation on the Labour figures that may resign today.

Labour's Emily Thornberry, a Corbyn ally, tells the BBC that the Labour leader had a truthful and responsible response to the referendum.

In the wake of the growing opposition to Corbyn within Labour, she said that he had only been leader for one year and 60% of party members supported him.

"Now is not the time for internecine fighting," she said.

Emily Thornberry, shadow defence minister, is on the BBC and rules out her own resignation.

"I think we should be thinking about the nation first. I am just bewildered."

The Guardian is now reporting that Gloria de Piero, shadow minister for young people, has resigned from Team Corbyn.

"Several members of shadow cabinet told the Guardian they were writing their resignation letters after Heidi Alexander, the shadow health secretary, stepped down on Sunday morning."

Full report.

In a Survation poll for the Mail on Sunday, Boris Johnson is the overwhelming favourite to replace David Cameron among both Conservative voters and the broader public.

Emily Thornberry, shadow defence secretary, lends her support to Corbyn.

Heidi Alexander, who resigned as shadow health secretary this morning, said on the Peston programme:

"Could I hand on heart say that I think that JC is the best person to be leading the Labour party... I don't feel that I could do that... I think there are a fair number of people [who will resign]."

McDonnell is on now, again defending Corbyn. Saying it is the members who are sovereign in the party and they overwhelmingly wanted Corbyn as leader. He also passed ever electoral test thrown at him so far.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is losing support even amongst those who voted for him in the 2015 leadership campaign, said former shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn. Benn, who was sacked by Corbyn in the early hours of Sunday, 26 June, also said that the Labour leader should stand down.

Full story.

HSBC will move as many as 1,000 jobs to Paris from London if Britain also leaves the European Single Market, following the referendum result to quit the European Union. The staff involved would be those who process the transactions the bank makes in euros.

Full story.

In every crisis there is opportunity...

A post-EU referendum poll of Scottish voters, who backed remain by 62% to 38% (the whole UK voted to leave by 52% to 48%), shows a swell in support for independence. Now, 59% would back independence if there was a referendum tomorrow, said the ScotPulse survey.

The Scottish voted against independence by 55% to 45% in a September 2014 referendum. But Scotland overwhelmingly wants to stay in the EU, so Brexit will likely trigger a second independence referendum, and it looks like the SNP would win it — breaking up the UK.

"At a time when the government and parties across the UK are in chaos, this poll shows people back Nicola Sturgeon's strong and stable leadership and support her decision to ensure a second independence referendum is firmly on the table and to explore all options to protect Scotland's relationship with Europe," said SNP business convener Derek MacKay.

Former prime minister Tony Blair in a BBC interview with Andrew Neil: "We've got to be very careful now to take our time and work out what the consequences are of exit and what our new relationship with Europe is going to be... There is absolutely no need to rush it... It's important for the country to see what are the consequences, what is the reality of leaving."

An email from the bookies.

WILLIAM HILL offer 2/1 (33% chance) that there will be a General Election during 2016 – but think it is more likely that it will not happen before the scheduled date in 2020 and offer 4/7 (63%) that it will happen them. Hills also offer 1/2 that Jeremy Corbyn will no longer be Labour leader whenever the next General Election takes place.

"There is tremendous speculation about whether there might be an imminent General Election following the EU Referendum, but we still believe it is an odds-on chance that the next one will be in 2020," said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

Lots of talk in the days after the referendum of people who voted leave suffering buyer's remorse. One lady whose interview was doing the rounds said she and her whole family voted leave, but regretted it the following morning as the markets imploded. However, one ComRes poll casts doubt on the idea that there is widespread regret.

Back over to the Tory party, who are having a leadership crisis of their own...

It's an early end to the Glastonbury festival for Tom Watson, deputy leader of the Labour party. From one swamp to another...

John McDonnell rules himself out of any leadership bid. He's standing by Corbyn: "Jeremy is not falling on his sword, not going anywhere, and no I would not stand."

"I know how disappointed people are about the EU referendum but now is the time to hold together."

Looks like another one is biting the dust.

John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, is now speaking on the BBC.

"Jeremy is not going anywhere... It's the members who are sovereign and it was the members who elected Jeremy and he will remain."

He cites Corbyn's huge mandate in the leadership election. He also points out the by-election victories under Corbyn and the performance in the local elections. He said Corbyn is on the path to winning a general election: "Every electoral test, he has won."

When asked about the shadow cabinet resignations, McDonnell said: "I think they should calm down and listen to their members."

Conservative "leaver" (and former work and pensions secretary) Iain Duncan Smith is on Marr now. He is asked what happens with immigration after Brexit? Some of the leave camp have suggested they are happy with the current levels of immigration, such as the Conservative MEP Dan Hannan, despite widespread concern among voters who backed Brexit.

IDS stands by the pledge of his government to cut net migration down to the tens of thousands a year. He says Brexit makes that possible and he is committed to seeing it happen.

He also says the next prime minister must be a leaver, which rules out him supporting Theresa May's bid. She (somewhat hesitantly) backed remain and is seen as the closest rival to Boris Johnson.

Another one from our senior political reporter Ian Silvera. This is from Momentum, the pro-Corbyn activist group within the Labour party.

Momentum spokesman: "At such a critical time for our country following the Brexit vote, this division is the last thing we need. We call for unity and the Labour Party to offer a programme of hope for our people."

Hilary Benn is on Marr now.

"The position is this: at this absolutely critical time for our country following the EU referendum result, the Labour party needs strong and effective leadership to hold the government to account... We don't currently have that. There is also no confidence that we could win a general election if Jeremy remains Labour leader and I felt it important to say that... He is a good and decent man but he is not a leader, and that is the problem."

Benn also rules out a leadership bid by himself.

Sajid Javid, the Conservative business secretary, is on Marr at the moment. He won't be drawn on who he thinks should replace David Cameron as leader of the Conservative party (and, more importantly, prime minister of the country). "There's lots of talent in the party," he says.

The Sunday newpapers suggest that Theresa May, the home secretary, is emerging as the 'Stop Boris' candidate. Michael Gove, justice secretary, has already got behind Boris Johnson in his bid to lead the Conservative party. Others throwing their hats into the ring: Nicky Morgan, Liam Fox and Stephen Crabb. Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, is also thought to be considering a run.

This is from our senior political reporter Ian Silvera:

Spokesman for Corbyn tells me: "There will be no resignation of a democratically elected leader with a strong mandate."

Meanwhile, at Glastonbury...

Lots coming up on the broadcasters: John McDonnell, shadow chancellor and key Corbyn ally, and Hilary Benn, the erstwhile shadow foreign secretary, are both on Marr. Heidi Alexander, who just resigned as shadow health secretary, will be on Peston.

Looking like the next resignation will be Ian Murray, shadow Scottish secretary.

Corbyn already filling the gaps, by the look of it.

Jeremy Corbyn has said he would stand again if his critics in the parliamentary Labour party force a leadership election. The problem for Labour MPs is that Corbyn still carries a large amount of support from the party membership, which voted him in just a few months ago.

Corbyn's supporters blame Labour moderates for agitating against his leadership and causing unnecessary disruption in the party, distracting from the central job of opposing the Conservative government. More so now that the Conservatives are in crisis following the EU referendum's Brexit result and David Cameron's resignation as prime minister.

But Corbyn's critics argue he is ineffective at this job and should stand aside to allow a better leader in, especially as there is talk of a snap general election in the next few months. Their problem is: who? There is no obvious alternative to Corbyn as it stands. Perhaps one will emerge amid the resignations. Or perhaps Labour moderates are about to blow their chance of deposing Corbyn.

Corbyn is fighting back.

Jeremy Corbyn is fighting for political survival as reports suggest as many as half of his shadow cabinet are set to resign from their positions over a lack of confidence in his ability to lead the Labour party.

There have long been concerns about Corbyn's leadership of the party among Labour MPs since he was elected in September 2015. But the political crisis around Brexit, which has seen the resignation of the prime minister David Cameron, has spurred them into action amid talk of a snap general election.

Corbyn has been accused of a lacklustre campaign for Remain in the EU referendum, but he says he did all he could to help keep Britain in the 28-member state bloc. Overnight, Corbyn sacked Hilary Benn as shadow foreign secretary. In a statement, Benn said he spoke with Corbyn over the phone to say he no longer had confidence in his leadership and was then dismissed from the shadow cabinet.

Since then, Heidi Alexander has resigned as shadow health secretary. "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," Alexander wrote in her resignation letter.

The BBC is reporting that as many as half the shadow cabinet are expected to resign over the course of the day in protest at Corbyn's leadership. There was already a no confidence motion in Corbyn's leadership working through the party.