Labour MPs warn Corbyn against 'divisive reshuffle'

Labour backbenchers have warned Jeremy Corbyn not to carry out a shake-up of his top team following speculation the leader will move against some of his cabinet members.

Among those thought to be at risk of losing their roles during a reshuffle are Hilary Benn, who backed airstrikes against self-styled Islamic State in Syria with a high profile speech.

Shadow defence secretary Maria Eagle, who is reportedly at odds with Corbyn over the renewal of Trident, could also be moved.

According to The Observer, Benn could be offered another shadow cabinet post in the so-called "revenge reshuffle".

Critics say rumours of an imminent shadow cabinet shake-up served as a distraction to the main task of opposing the Conservatives.

But Mr Corbyn faced criticism for allowing rumours of an imminent shadow cabinet shake-up to distract from the task of opposing the Conservatives.

Writing in The Observer, Stephen Kinnock, the son of former leader Lord Kinnock, warned that a reshuffle would be a "waste of time and energy" while fellow 2015 intake MPs Wes Streeting and Neil Coyle also raised concerns.

"A reshuffle would simply leave people confused about what this fabled 'new kind of politics' is all about. It's a waste of time and energy."

Streeting said: "Over Christmas, we should have been taking the Tories to task over their budget cuts for flood defences. Instead, damaging briefing from the top of the party meant Labour's main message was about a shadow cabinet reshuffle.

"This is no time for divisive reshuffles or an introspective debate about party structures."