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The British Labour Party is in meltdown after Brexit

About three-quarters of Labour's shadow cabinet have resigned in a bid to topple their leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is accused of leading a lacklustre campaign to remain in the European Union.
British Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers a speech at a 'Vote Remain' event in London on June 22. Photo by Will Oliver/EPA

The Labour Party has been plunged into chaos, and its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is coming under increasing pressure to resign in the wake of Brexit, which has triggered mass resignations within his shadow cabinet. About three-quarters of its members have resigned since Sunday, saying they have no confidence that Corbyn can lead Labour to victory in the early election that may follow the political crisis caused by last week's referendum vote to leave the European Union.

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Corbyn is defiant, and released a statement on Sunday evening saying he would not resign, despite the pressure, and has replaced the resigning members of his Cabinet with members of parliament who have been steadfast supporters of his leadership.

"I regret there have been resignations today from my shadow cabinet. But I am not going to betray the trust of those who voted for me," Corbyn wrote. "Those who want to change Labour's leadership will have to stand in a democratic election, in which I will be a candidate."

He also wrote that he had won election through "an overwhelming mandate for a different kind of politics." Corbyn, a leftist whose positions can be likened to Bernie Sanders' in the US, won the party leadership in September of last year, taking over a Labour that had been essentially remade into a moderate center-left party after two decades of rule by moderates, beginning with Tony Blair in the mid-1990s.

The Guardian reports that Corbyn is coming to terms with the reality that a contest for leadership will "likely happen." On Monday, Labour MPs are set to discuss a no-confidence motion against Corbyn, which was submitted last week.

Related: British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn faces 'coup' after Brexit

Critics of Corbyn's leadership say led a lackluster campaign to remain in the EU. The BBC says they reviewed internal documents which "suggest Jeremy Corbyn's office sought to delay and water down the Labour Remain campaign. Sources suggest that they are evidence of "deliberate sabotage."

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The resignations were triggered on Sunday after Corbyn sacked former shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn for saying he had lost confidence in the Labour leader's abilities. Since then, 26 of Corbyn's 31-member Cabinet have resigned.

Deputy Labour Leader Tom Watson, who would be the natural choice to replace Corbyn in the event of a resignation, met with Corbyn on Monday. The Guardian reported that Watson did not urge Corbyn to resign just yet.

Watson returned early from the Glastonbury festival on Sunday to help deal with the turmoil. He released a statement yesterday, but did not voice support for Corbyn. "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 hard-working colleagues felt they had to leave," he said.

"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," Watson added.

Chris Bryant, shadow commons leader, told the BBC that he believes Corbyn voted to leave the European Union, although he campaigned to remain. He also warned that Corbyn was in danger of being remembered as "the man who broke the Labour party."

Related: Millennials blame older generations for Brexit, but whose fault is it really?

The list of shadow cabinet ministers who handed in their resignations on Monday includes Alex Cunningham, shadow minister of the environment.;Yvonne Fovargue, shadow minister for consumer affairs and science; Diana Johnson, shadow foreign minister; Anna Turley, shadow minister for civil society; Steve Reed, shadow minister of local government, who wrote to Corbyn "I joined the Labour Party to try and make life better for people. After last Thursday's disastrous Brexit vote, I no longer believe we can win a general election with you as leader of the party." Toby Perkins, shadow defence minister, wrote in his resignation letter that "no one could be under any illusions about how urgently the Labour party needs a change at the top."

Wayne David, shadow minister covering the Cabinet Office, Scotland and justice; Owen Smith, shadow work and pensions secretary; Lisa Nandy, shadow energy secretary; John Healy, shadow housing minister; Maria Eagle, shadow culture secretary; Kate Green, shadow equality minister; Nia Griffith, shadow secretary of Wales; Nick Thomas-Symonds, shadow employment minister; and Angela Eagle, shadow business secretary and shadow first secretary of state, also resigned. "In such turbulent times, we need a leader who can unite rather than divide the party." Eagle said.

Their resignations follow those on Sunday of shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander; shadow education secretary Lucy Powell; shadow environment and rural affairs secretary Kerry McCarthy; shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray; shadow chief secretary to the treasury Seema Malhotra; shadow transport secretary Lillian Greenwood; shadow minister for young people Gloria De Piero; shadow Northern Ireland secretary Vernon Coaker; shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer, and shadow attorney general Karl Turner.