2016 British shadow cabinet resignations

{{Short description|Event in British politics; three days after the EU referendum in June 2016}}

{{Jeremy Corbyn sidebar}}

On 26–29 June 2016, 21 members of the Shadow Cabinet resigned from the frontbench. Following the Leave result in the referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union, Jeremy Corbyn faced heavy criticism for the perceived reluctance of his involvement in the campaign to Remain and his perceived weakness as leader of the Labour Party.{{cite news |last=Inman |first=Phillip |title=Former Corbyn adviser Thomas Piketty criticises Labour's 'weak' EU fight |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/29/thomas-piketty-quits-as-adviser-to-jeremy-corbyn |work=The Guardian |date=29 June 2016 |accessdate=28 December 2020}}{{cite news |last=McSmith |first=Andy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-leadership-challenge-jeremy-corbyn-reducing-senior-members-to-tears-latest-updates-a7109916.html |title=The Jeremy Corbyn leadership challenge is reducing the most senior members of Labour to tears |newspaper=The Independent |date=29 June 2016}}

The first shadow minister to depart the Opposition frontbench was Hilary Benn, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, on 26 June.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36632539 |title=Brexit: Hilary Benn sacked as Corbyn faces 'no confidence' pressure |date=26 June 2016 |publisher=BBC News}} Over the course of the day, he was joined by 11 other Shadow Cabinet members, all expressing concern with Corbyn's ability to lead the party into the next general election.{{cite news |last1=Boffey |first1=Daniel |last2=Phipps |first2=Claire |last3=Asthana |first3=Anushka |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/26/hilary-benn-revolt-jeremy-corbyn|title=Labour in crisis: shadow ministers resign in protests against Corbyn |date=26 June 2016 |newspaper=The Guardian}} On the following day, 27 June, a further eight members resigned, including Angela Eagle, the most senior Shadow Secretary of State.{{cite news |title=Live updates: Labour leadership crisis: Frontbenchers Angela Eagle and John Healey resign |url=https://www.itv.com/news/update/2016-06-27/frontbenchers-angela-eagle-and-john-healey-resign/ |publisher=ITV News |date=27 June 2016}}

Tom Watson, the deputy party leader, remained in his position while openly criticising Corbyn's leadership.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/26/labour-in-crisis-shadow-ministers-resign-in-protests-jeremy-corbyn|title=Labour in crisis: Tom Watson criticises Hilary Benn sacking|date=26 June 2016|last1=Asthana |first1=Anushka |last2=Syal |first2=Rajeev |newspaper=The Guardian}} Unlike the other members of the Shadow Cabinet, Watson could not be removed by Corbyn as he had been elected, not appointed. This enabled him to put public pressure on Corbyn to resign.{{cite news |last=Merrick |first=Jane |title=The fate of the MPs who plotted a coup against Corbyn |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/dec/20/mps-plotted-coup-jeremy-corbyn-coup-where-are-they-now |newspaper=The Guardian |date=20 December 2016}}

Corbyn's allies in the Shadow Cabinet (Diane Abbott, John McDonnell, Emily Thornberry and Jon Trickett){{cite news|url=https://www.itv.com/news/update/2016-06-26/corbyn-loyalists-thornbury-and-abbott-urge-against-coup/|title=Live updates: Labour leadership crisis: Corbyn loyalists Thornbury and Abbott urge against coup|date=26 June 2016|publisher=ITV News}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36638041 |title=Corbyn will not resign say allies amid battle with MPs|publisher=BBC News|date=27 June 2016}} all refused to stand down, condemning the actions of their former colleagues as a "coup" against the democratically elected party leader. Andy Burnham, the Shadow Home Secretary and leadership candidate in 2015, also announced that he would not resign, saying that he believed that "civil war" in the party was a bad idea.{{cite news|url=https://www.itv.com/news/update/2016-06-26/burnham-will-not-take-part-in-coup-against-corbyn/|title=Live updates: Labour leadership crisis: Burnham will not take part in 'coup' against Corbyn|date=26 June 2016|publisher=ITV News}}

In addition, 18 other shadow ministers not in the Shadow Cabinet resigned, including Diana Johnson, Anna Turley, Toby Perkins, Yvonne Fovargue, Alex Cunningham, Steve Reed, Roberta Blackman-Woods, Wayne David, Jenny Chapman, Keir Starmer, Richard Burden, Jack Dromey, Thangam Debbonaire, Susan Elan Jones, Nick Thomas-Symonds, Sharon Hodgson, Melanie Onn, Nic Dakin and 9 Parliamentary private secretaries.

On 27 June, Corbyn announced new appointments to his top team, including promotions for Abbott and Thornberry, and 13 new members.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/26/labour-shadow-cabinet-resignations-jeremy-corbyn-who-has-gone|title=Shadow cabinet resignations: who has gone and who is staying |last1=Syal |first1=Rajeev |last2=Perraudin |first2=Frances |last3=Slawson |first3=Nicola |newspaper=The Guardian |date=27 June 2016}} Because few Labour MPs were prepared to support him, Corbyn introduced a number of joint portfolios, such as combining the Scotland and Northern Ireland briefs. He also appointed veteran backbench MP Paul Flynn, who is believed to have become the oldest frontbench spokesperson since William Gladstone, at 81 years of age.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-36675087|title='Trailblazer' octogenarian back on Commons front bench|date=30 June 2016 |last=Cornock |first=David |publisher=BBC News}}

On 28 June, the Parliamentary Labour Party held a motion of no confidence in Corbyn as party leader, which passed overwhelmingly with 172 votes in favour and 40 votes against.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-corbyn-loses-no-confidence-vote-among-labour-mps-by-176-to-40-a7107826.html|title=Jeremy Corbyn loses 'no confidence' vote among Labour MPs by 172 to 40 |last=Stone |first=Jon |date=28 June 2016 |newspaper=The Independent}} On the following day, Pat Glass resigned after two days as Shadow Education Secretary, stating that the situation had become "untenable".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36661409|title=Pat Glass resigns as Labour education shadow secretary|date=29 June 2016|publisher=BBC News}}

Despite the result of the no-confidence vote, Corbyn claimed that it had "no constitutional legitimacy" and refused to resign. Several high-profile and influential Labour MPs were touted as possible leadership challengers, as Corbyn's opponents tried to find a single candidate to unite around.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/28/jeremy-corbyn-loses-labour-mps-confidence-vote |date=28 June 2016 |title=Labour MPs prepare for leadership contest after Corbyn loses confidence vote |last1=Asthana |first1=Anushka |last2=Syal |first2=Rajeev |last3=Elgot |first3=Jessica |newspaper=The Guardian}} Eventually two emerged: Angela Eagle and Owen Smith, who launched their leadership campaigns on 11 July{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Peter |title=Angela Eagle says 'I'm here to win' at launch of Labour leadership bid |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/11/im-here-to-win-angela-eagle-launch-labour-leadership-bid |newspaper=The Guardian |date=11 July 2016}} and 13 July,{{cite news |title=Labour leadership: Owen Smith to enter contest |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36780715 |publisher=BBC News |date=13 July 2016}} respectively. Eagle withdrew from the race and endorsed Smith on 19 July, making him the sole challenger to Corbyn.{{cite news |last=Rampen |first=Julia |title=Angela Eagle drops out of the Labour leadership race |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2016/07/angela-eagle-drops-out-labour-leadership-race |newspaper=New Statesman |date=19 July 2016}}

Corbyn was re-elected with 313,209 votes, a 61.8% share of the total vote.{{cite web |url=http://labourlist.org/2016/09/jeremy-corbyn-earns-refreshed-mandate-as-he-is-re-elected-labour-leader/ |title=Jeremy Corbyn earns refreshed mandate as he is re-elected Labour leader – LabourList |date=24 September 2016 |website=LabourList}} Following his victory, Corbyn re-shuffled the Shadow Cabinet on 6–7 October, inviting back a few of the former members who had resigned in June. Nia Griffith returned as Shadow Defence Secretary, John Healey as Shadow Housing Secretary and Keir Starmer as Shadow Brexit Secretary.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37588143 |title=Labour's new shadow cabinet in full |publisher=BBC News |date=7 October 2016}}