DARLINGTON MP Jenny Chapman this morning resigned from Labour’s front bench - as Jeremy Corbyn continued to fight for his political life.

She joined fellow North-East MPs Roberta Blackman-Woods, Anna Turley and Alex Cunningham in tendering their resignations this morning, ahead of a planned no confidence motion in the leader at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party tonight.

Others, including Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald, who was this morning appointed shadow transport secretary, said it was the “wrong time” for a leadership challenge, although he admitted this was now inevitable.

Mrs Chapman said while she admired Mr Corbyn, “my constituents in Darlington have made it clear to me that they cannot support the Labour Party under your leadership”.

“My town is being battered by this heinous Tory Government, and much as I’ve supported you, this weekend it’s become clear that you can’t hold our Labour team together. The uncomfortable truth is that Labour needs a leader who can reach out more widely.”

Labour started haemorrhaging shadow ministers yesterday after Corbyn sacked popular shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, with 12 resignations on Sunday alone, and more letters piling up on his desk today, Monday.

Reports this morning suggested deputy leader Tom Watson has told Corbyn he has “no authority” among Labour MPs and warned of a leadership challenge.

Mr Corbyn hastily assembled a fresh cabinet on Monday morning, with the appointment of Mr McDonald, North West Durham’s Pat Glass being handed shadow education secretary, Dave Anderson, Blaydon MP, becoming shadow Northern Ireland secretary and York Central’s Rachael Maskell getting the shadow environment, food and rural affairs brief.

But other MPs in the region raised serious questions about Mr Corbyn’s future as leader following the EU referendum.

Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham told The Northern Echo: “I have been campaigning for the Labour Party for 46 years, since the age of 15 when I knocked on doors with Ted Fletcher in Darlington, and I feel the EU referendum was by far the most important issue in all that time.

“I feel that as far as the party was concerned we needed the leadership to demonstrate the strongest possible case to Labour voters for us to remain in the EU, and I just don’t feel that happened.

“You couldn’t meet a more decent person than Jeremy Corbyn. He is principled, he is clear, he has his own very firm ideas and he has stuck to them, and I admire that in a person.

“But he didn’t put up the fight that we needed for the EU.”

Roberta Blackman-Woods confirmed that she was resigning as shadow housing minister this morning.

In her letter to Mr Corbyn she wrote: “During the referendum campaign in particular I do not think the Labour Remain message about supporting a reformed EU was made effectively enough.

“I do not hold you wholly responsible for this but as you are the leader of the Party you could, and should, have shown more decisive and visionary leadership and your failure to step down means that I must.

“I no longer have confidence in you as a leader.”

Redcar MP Anna Turley stood down as minister for civil society this morning, saying: “It has become clear beyond doubt to me that you and your team are not providing the strong, forward-looking and competent leadership we need to provide an alternative government to these increasingly right-wing Conservatives that are doing such damage to this country and to my constituency.”

If the PLP agrees to a motion of no confidence in Mr Corbyn tonight, a secret ballot of MPs will be held tomorrow, Tuesday.