Eagle to challenge Corbyn for Labour leadership

Angela Eagle is set to challenge Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership, ITV News understands.

Eagle, who was one of 20 members of the shadow cabinet to resign in protest at Corbyn, will formally announce her intention to stand on Thursday.

The former shadow business secretary, who has stood in for Corbyn at Prime Minister's Questions, has received the backing of enough party MPs to launch a challenge.

Corbyn - who ITV News understands has considered quitting - remained defiant, telling a rally in London that he was determined to "carry on his work".

• Live updates: Corbyn's crisis

His closest ally, the shadow chancellor John McDonnell, told the same rally that the MPs trying to oust the leader were "like a lynch mob without the rope" saying he had a "people's mandate" to lead.

Union leaders have also backed Corbyn, saying a leadership election would be an "unnecessary distraction".

Earlier, Tom Watson, Labour's deputy leader, said he had met Corbyn in a bid to negotiate his departure but that he was refusing to go.

Watson said his party was "in peril" and facing an "existential crisis".

David Cameron has also called on Corbyn to resign for the sake of the country in a fiery exchange at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.