Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has moved fast to replace Clive Lewis, the former shadow business secretary who resigned over Corbyn's implementation of a three line whip to vote in favour of triggering article 50. Last night, Corbyn named Salford MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey as the new shadow business secretary.
Other changes in the reshuffle
Furthermore, Corbyn announced that Sue Hayman will be the new shadow environment secretary, Christina Rees will be the new shadow Welsh secretary and Peter Dowd will be Long-Bailey's replacement as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.
Since becoming the Labour party leader, Corbyn has shuffled his cabinet five times, with the most recent reshuffle coming after he defeated Owen Smith's leadership challenge last year. Long-Bailey becomes Corbyn’s fourth shadow business secretary- a position that is integral to Labour's hopes of restoring faith in their economic plans.
Corbyn has found himself in between a rock and a hard place over Brexit: Instead of representing the 48 per cent of the United Kingdom that voted remain, Corbyn has backed key constituencies in the North of England. Diane Abbott, who voted to back the bill despite representing a strong remain constituency, said Corbyn fears a Scottish style revolt against Labour, if he doesn't support the Theresa May's Brexit strategy.
Fear of Scottish style revolt against Labour
In an article published by the Guardian, Diane Abbott said: “There are voices from within the Labour Party that are warning against a potential Scottish scenario. There are some indications that we will lose key constituencies in the North if we don't back Brexit'.
In Clive Lewis' resignation letter printed on Thursday, he thanked Labour MPs for discussing Brexit in an 'open and comradely way' before continuing to state that he could not vote for the Brexit bill as Labour had not been successful in amending it. Lewis said: 'Although we desperately fought for amendments to be attached to the bill, we proved ultimately unsuccessful. In turn, my position as shadow business secretary has become untenable'.