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UK Labour MP Angela Eagle plans to challenge Corbyn as party leader

Former Labour Shadow Business Secretary Angela Eagle (L) and Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn (AFP)

Britain’s Labour lawmaker and shadow business secretary, Angela Eagle, has unveiled plans to formally announce her bid to challenge Jeremy Corbyn as the Labour Party leader.

Eagle, who resigned last week as a shadow secretary, stated on Saturday that she would explain her vision “for the country and the difference a strong Labour Party can make” when she officially declares her candidacy for Labour leadership Monday morning.

Corbyn’s leadership was cast into crisis following UK’s vote to leave the EU in a referendum last month, with many of his shadow cabinet resigning and publicly stating they had no confidence in his leadership.

The mass departure of senior cabinet ministers came after former shadow foreign minister Hilary Benn was dismissed for her alleged involvement in a coup against the leader.

This is while a series of tense meetings of the the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLPhave been held in subsequent weeks but the challenge has faltered following Corby’s refusal to quit the leadership post.

Eagle also criticized Corbyn in her remarks for failing “to lead an organized and effective” party.

Her announcement came after deputy Labour leader Tom Watson called off talks with trade unions, which were to be an attempt to ease the ongoing tensions among frontbench lawmakers.

Watson stated that Corbyn’s refusal to stand down meant there would be “no realistic prospect of reaching a compromise.”

 “It is with regret and profound sadness that I have concluded there is little to be achieved by pursuing wider conversations with our union affiliates at this time,” he added.

Prior to Eagle’s announcement, Corbyn called on MPs to “come together” and described the cancellation of the union talks as “disappointing.”

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Labour leader said, “He will remain leader of the Labour Party and will contest any leadership challenge if one is mounted.”

Corbyn continues to have strong support among Labour members, who took to the streets in thousands after the attempted coup in the party following the Brexit vote.


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