Jeremy Corbyn says Labour confidence vote has ‘no legitimacy’

Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would not resign after Members of Parliament (MPs) in his party overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence in his leadership.

“I was democratically elected leader of our party for a new kind of politics by 60 percent of Labour members and supporters, and I will not betray them by resigning,” he said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.

“Today’s vote by MPs has no constitutional legitimacy,” he added.

The motion was tabled in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union and backed by many who felt he had not campaigned hard enough to keep the country inside the EU, and would not be able to win a future election.

The parliamentary voted by 172 to 40 in the no confidence motion.

The result, which was expected after days of heavy criticism from within his party, has no formal consequence and does not automatically trigger a leadership election.

More than 40 Labour frontbenchers have quit in a tumultuous three days for the Labour Party.

Reuters