East Mids MPs quit on day of drama for Labour

Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood, Ashfield MP Gloria de Piero and Gedling MP Vernon Coaker have resigned from the Shadow Cabinet in a dramatic day for the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Labour shadow ministers were resigning in droves following the sacking of Hillary Benn in the small hours of Sunday morning, and at around 1pm the news of Greenwood’s resignation broke.

Gloria de Piero

In a letter to Jeremy Corbyn, Greenwood who was appointed Shadow Transport Secretary last year, said: “You are a kind, decent and principled colleague, but in my view a new leadership is required to bridge the widening divides in our Party, both in Parliament and in the country as a whole.

“I have spent my working life in the service of the Labour Movement and the Labour PArty and, in my view, the best way for me to continue to support the Party and oppose the Government is from the back benches.”

Leader of Nottingham City Councillor John Collins tweeted: “Lilian Greenwood is a good MP working hard for her constituents and Nottingham. She’ll always get my support.”