British Prime Minister David Cameron has called on Jeremy Corbyn to step down as leader of the Labour party. Cameron made the call at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
“I have to say to the honorable gentleman, frankly he talks about job insecurity and my two months to go,” Cameron said in response to a question about job insecurity.
“It might be in my party’s interest for him to sit there — he’s not in the national interest. I would say: For heaven’s sake, man, go!“
On Tuesday, Labour lawmakers passed a motion of no confidence in Corbyn by an overwhelming margin.
In the non-binding vote, the lawmakers voted 172 to 40 against Corbyn, the 67-year old left-wing activist behind a socialist rebranding of Britain’s main opposition party.
“It is now clear that Jeremy Corbyn has lost the support of the overwhelming majority of the Parliamentary Labour Party,” Labour lawmaker Wes Streeting told Reuters.
“He’s now just got to do the decent thing and accept he is not up to the job and resign with dignity so we can move on and draw a line under this sorry episode,” Streeting said.
As Britain grapples with its worst political crisis of modern times, the success or failure of Labour’s coup attempt against its own leader will shape the country’s post-Brexit relationship with the EU, the world’s biggest trading bloc.
After the Brexit vote both of Britain’s major political parties are in turmoil and sterling and share prices have tumbled. Cameron has promised to resign, triggering a leadership contest in his ruling Conservative Party.
Though widely expected, the Labour vote of no confidence underscores the depth of opposition Corbyn faces. The non-binding vote, however, does not automatically trigger a leadership election.
Corbyn, who voted to leave the EU in a 1975 referendum, said he would not resign as leader.
“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.
“Today’s vote by MPs has no constitutional legitimacy.”
Nominations are opening in the contest to replace Cameron as leader of the Conservative Party.
The first official contender is Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb. Business Secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed that he and Crabb are running for leader and deputy as part of what has been dubbed a blue-collar ticket.
Crabb and Javid both come from working-class backgrounds that contrast with upper-crust front-runner Boris Johnson.
Former London Mayor Johnson and Home Secretary Theresa May are also expected to run.

Source: Arab News