Labour members resign in their thousands over vote

Thousands of Labour members have left the party in just over a week after Jeremy Corbyn ordered his MPs to back triggering Brexit.

The mass resignations come after a major rebellion by Labour MPs, with a fifth defying Mr Corbyn to vote against the move. Among them were ten frontbenchers and three party whips.

Labour has been plunged into such chaos over its position on Brexit that the rebel frontbenchers have not faced the usual punishment of immediate dismissal. Three shadow cabinet ministers resigned in order to oppose the Brexit bill. More resignations are expected next week before the final vote.

Anger over Mr Corbyn’s decision to back the bill handing the government the power to invoke Article 50 has spread to the party’s overwhelmingly…