‘Someone’s spreading MISCHIEF’ Corbyn forced to deny he’s quitting as Labour leader

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Jeremy Corbyn has been forced to deny he is stepping down

Officials close to Mr Corbyn say claims he has made plans for an official departure are “absolutely untrue”.

The unconfirmed reports come ahead of a key vote which will determine whether Theresa May is given the power to trigger the start of Brexit negotiations.

Labour MPs are expected to continue their revolt against the struggling party leader after he imposed a three-line whip on the vote at the third reading – a move which could result in more front bench resignations

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Diane Abbot could be sacked

fficials close to Corbyn say claims he has made plans for an official departure are 'absolutely untrue'

Jeremy Corbyn could be forced to sack his shadow home secretary Diane Abbot, who last week failed to turn up for a vote on the Article 50 bill, claiming illness despite speaking in Parliament hours before.

In a number of tweets early on Wednesday morning, Manchester Evening News reporter Jennifer Williams claimed Mr Corbyn is not expected to leave immediately but has made plans to resign as the Leader of the Opposition.

But sources close to the embattled Labour leader suggested “someone was spreading mischief”, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Mr Corbyn is facing an upward struggle after three other members of his cabinet – shadow environment secretary Rachael Maskell, shadow Welsh secretary Jo Stevens and shadow equalities minister Dawn Butler – resigned to oppose the bill last week

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Jeremy Corbyn is facing an upwards struggle

Jeremy Corbyn in pictures
Tue, July 12, 2016

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn takes part in a community meeting at the Guru Har Rai Gurdwara Sahib temple

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Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks at an anti-racism rally in London

As well as 10 junior shadow ministers, three whips – enforcers charged with instilling party discipline – also voted against the Bill.

MPs are expected to debate the Bill allowing Article 50 to be triggered for up to seven hours, with the final vote expected to be held at around 8pm this evening.

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Theresa May's Brexit vote will take place on Wednesday

The Government comfortably defeated attempts on Tuesday night to give MPs a decisive say over the final terms of Brexit, despite anger among Tory remain campaigners.

Seven Conservative MPs, Ken Clarke, Bob Neill, Andrew Tyrie, Claire Perry, Anna Soubry, Antoinette Sandbach and Heidi Allen, defied their party whip.

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