LONDON, United Kingdom. Chuka Umunna has left Labour’s shadow cabinet by “mutual agreement”, citing “key differences on policy” with new leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Mr Umunna said in a statement he could not see himself campaigning to leave the European Union but Mr Corbyn “made it clear… he does not wholeheartedly share this view”.
Mr Corbyn is currently finalising his first shadow cabinet.
Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson has urged MPs to back Mr Corbyn.
But Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall, Tristram Hunt, Mary Creagh, Rachel Reeves, Chris Leslie, Jamie Reed, Emma Reynolds and Shabana Mahmood have said they will not serve in Mr Corbyn’s shadow cabinet.
John McDonnell, a key ally of Mr Corbyn who has been tipped as a possible shadow chancellor, predicted the new shadow cabinet would be “broad based” – and said an announcement would be made shortly.
He said Mr Corbyn’s win was a political earthquake and that he expects Labour MPs to vote unanimously against the Trade Union Bill, due before Parliament on Monday.
In other developments:
Two shadow cabinet posts have been confirmed – Rosie Winterton will continue as chief whip and Ian Murray will continue as shadow Scottish secretary
Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Ivan Lewis tweeted his role had been “offered to someone else” despite telling Mr Corbyn he was willing to remain
Angela Eagle and Mr McDonnell are both rumoured to be in line for the key role of shadow chancellor
Labour says 15,500 new members have joined the party in the past 24 hours.
Mr Corbyn, MP for Islington North, spent the morning at an annual “fun day” organised by Camden and Islington NHS Mental Health Trust
Mr Umunna – who pulled out of the leadership race days after declaring his candidacy earlier this year – described leaving the shadow cabinet as one of the most difficult “personal political decisions” he has had to make.
“Whilst there is much on which Jeremy and I agree, there are a number of key points of difference on policy which I believe it would be dishonest to deny exist,” he said.
He added he would “find it difficult to abide by the collective responsibility” of being in the shadow cabinet – “not least on the European referendum”.
Credit: BBC
