Labour MPs may hold a vote of no-confidence in Jeremy Corbyn | Politics | News – UK

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It has emerged that a dozen MPs are considering resigning the whip at the same time as calls for a secret ballot are increasing in the party.

Some Labour MPs are keen to express their unhappiness with the way the anti-semitism row has been handled.

An angry Labour MP told the Sun: “Having a vote would be our way of telling the public that most Labour MPs do get what’s going on, we’re on your side – it would be about sending a message.

“It’s not about triggering a leadership contest, we just want to show the public we feel their angst over the issue. 

“There needs to be some censure over this.”

The increasingly embattled Mr Corbyn took another significant blow last week when Frank Fields, a veteran Labour MP resigned citing racism and a culture of nastiness in Labour as the reasons.

The Labour leader previously suffered a defeat in a no-confidence motion passed against him in June 2016.

The vote, which he lost 172-40, was not binding but it called on him to quit. 

Mr Corbyn had said the ballot had “no constitutional legitimacy” and that resigning would “betray” the people who voted for him.

He survived that attack on his leadership but he could be due for a fresh no-confidence vote if a dozen or so Labour MPs, who are considering leaving the Labour party, make their move.

An MP who claimed to be unhappy in the party said the looming Brexit is deterring malcontents from resigning their position in the party.

They said: “Brexit is the glue holding the Parliamentary party together as it currently stands. 

“We are currently putting the national interest and the country first when it comes to Brexit. It could change after the meaningful vote. Our discomfort in the party comes second.”

They said the date of departure would likely be after Britain leaves the EU in March 2019, but they might leave as early as Autumn if Theresa May successfully navigates her Brexit deal through parliament.

A senior Labour party figure said: “The party’s make-up could look different by December.”

On Friday night shadow chancellor John McDonnell assured unhappy MPs that they could approach the party leadership with their concerns and that he would be “worried and saddened” by a party split.

Mr McDonnell said: “I’d want to avoid at all costs a split if we can. That’s why I’m saying I don’t understand why people are motivated in that way on any of these issues. 

“If it’s about individual personal concerns just come and see us.”

Former Home Secretary Alan Johnson revealed that a party split is now “inevitable”.

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