Labour leadership: Jeremy Corbyn victory triggers shadow cabinet resignations from senior frontbench MPs Rachel Reeves and Jamie Reed

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A number of senior Labour MPs have immediately resigned from the frontbench following Jeremy Corbyn's election as leader of the party.

Read more: Jeremy Corbyn elected as Labour leader with massive majority

Shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves said she won't return to the front bench following maternity leave while shadow health minister Jamie Reed tweeted his resignation letter.

Ed Miliband, Tristram Hunt, Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall and Emma Reynolds also ruled themselves out of a job in Corbyn's cabinet.

In a letter to the new leader Reed wrote: "No amount of well-meaning protest will protect the NHS, drive up standards, recruit more medical professionals or improve the accessibility of world-class health care to the British people. Only an elected Labour government will do this."

 

 

When asked about Reed's resignation on the BBC, Lord John Prescott responded: "Who is Jamie Reed? Is he in our party?"

Meanwhile, Reeves wrote on Twitter that when she returns from maternity leave she will "serve my constituents in Leeds West, party and new leadership from backbenches."

Corbyn is the most left-wing leader Labour have elected for a generation and despite his emphatic victory is expected to face some resistance amongst the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Corbyn's predecessor Ed Miliband signalled that he would not be in the shadow cabinet, but affirmed his support and called on the new leader to unite the party.