UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn blocks coup attempt by reportedly sacking rival Hilary Benn as Brexit’s fallout continues
Corbyn on Saturday emphasised the large mandate given to him by party activists at a leadership contest last year.
The leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, sacked his shadow foreign minister on Sunday, media reported, after he said he would resist any attempt to oust him.
Corbyn has been criticised by some of Labour’s elected lawmakers who say he did not campaign hard enough in support of EU membership, and had failed to convince millions of voters in the party’s heartlands to back Remain.
Benn had called fellow MPs over the weekend to suggest that he would ask Corbyn to stand down
Hours after the 52 to 48 per cent vote in favour of Brexit, or a British exit, which triggered financial and political turmoil across the globe, two lawmakers submitted a motion of no confidence in Corbyn. Others have also called for his resignation.
Corbyn sacked shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, The Observer newspaper said.
“It is understood that Benn had called fellow MPs over the weekend to suggest that he would ask Corbyn to stand down if there was significant support for a move against him,” The Observer newspaper said. “He had also asked shadow cabinet colleagues to join him in resigning if Corbyn ignored that request.”
A spokesman for Benn declined to comment, the newspaper added.
Corbyn informed Benn that he was sacking him because he had lost the Labour leader’s trust, the newspaper quoted a Corbyn spokesman as saying. Other British media also reported Corbyn’s sacking of Benn.