Coventry MP calls on Jeremy Corbyn to step down as she joins mass exodus from shadow cabinet
Coventry’s Colleen Fletcher is the latest MP to resign from Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour shadow cabinet.
The Labour MP for Coventry North East was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Kerry McCarthy MP, shadow secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) in January.
She stepped down this morning, calling on Mr Corbyn to resign as party leader.
Mrs Fletcher said: “As we head into a possible early general election we need to ensure that the Labour Party is in a position in which it can present itself as a potential government.
“Under Jeremy Corbyn, we have failed to make inroads into a divided and weak Tory government as such, the time is now right for him to resign.
“Many members have expressed their disappointment at the lack of leadership he provided during the EU Referendum and are equally disappointed at the result in Coventry.
“Some have even suggested that even though they voted for Jeremy in 2015 they would not do so again.
“So whilst I have the utmost respect for Jeremy he must now resign so we can move on and challenge for power at any upcoming general election.”
The resignations follow the loss of 12 members of Mr Corbyn’s top team on Sunday, with Hilary Benn sacked as shadow foreign secretary and 11 others quitting in protest at his leadership.
