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Peter Burgess

Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn during a speech to appeal voters to vote Remain | Jack Taylor/Getty Images

Labour revolt as MPs quit Corbyn cabinet ... Several shadow ministers resign after party leader fires Hilary Benn in Brexit aftermath.

LONDON — U.K. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s decision to sack Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn prompted several other Labour MPs to quit his cabinet Sunday and raised questions about his hold on the party leadership.

Benn was fired from the post amid claims he was encouraging ministers to resign should Labour leader Corbyn ignore a vote of no confidence, the BBC reported Sunday.

The news was followed quickly by the resignation of Shadow Health Secretary Heidi Alexander from Corbyn’s cabinet. It was the start of a chain reaction throughout Sunday, with a succession of other ministers saying they would quit and questioning Corbyn’s ability to lead the party.

Alexander said she resigned with a “heavy heart” and told Corbyn in a letter that “I do not believe you have the capacity to shape the answers our country is demanding and I believe that if we are to form the next Government, a change of leadership is essential.”

The Guardian reported that Gloria de Piero, the shadow minister for young people and voter registration, had also decided to leave Corbyn’s cabinet. Later on Sunday, Shadow Education Secretary Lucy Powell also said she would quit, as did Shadow Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood, Shadow Secretary for Scotland Ian Murray, Shadow Environment Secretary Kerry McCarthy and Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Seema Malhotra.

In all, 11 shadow cabinet members announced their resignation Sunday following Benn’s sacking, to which Corbyn responded with a defiant statement vowing that “those who want to change Labour’s leadership will have to stand in a democratic election, in which I will be a candidate.”

Labour’s leader faces a vote of no confidence over claims he was “lackluster” during the EU referendum campaign. Benn said there was “widespread concern” about Corbyn’s “leadership and his ability to win an election.”

He added: “There is no confidence to win the next election if Jeremy continues as leader.”

Benn told him that in a phone call, and Corbyn “dismissed me,” he said.

“There are people who voted for Jeremy last year who are now saying, ‘It’s not working, is it?’” Benn said.

Alexander, appearing on ITV’s “Peston on Sunday” program, said Labour needed “to reflect” about the result of the Brexit vote.

She said “a fair number” of colleagues were likely to join her in quitting the shadow cabinet, and that she expects Labour to have a new leader in place by its party conference in autumn.

Speaking on the same program, Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, a Corbyn supporter, said he was “saddened and disappointed” by the departures of Benn and Alexander but added: “Jeremy’s not going anywhere. If people do resign, that’s unfortunate but they’ll be replaced.”

Labour MP Chuka Umunna said in a series of tweets Sunday that it was “crazy” for Corbyn to fire Benn and hinted at the unrest in the party over the decision: “Either you look your flaws in the face and address them or you stick your head in the sand, destroy the Labour Party and the country suffers.”

Barbara Surk contributed to this article. Authors: Alex Spence and Chris Spillane This story tagged under: