Blairite Labour MPs make u-turn on ‘unelectable’ Corbyn after Labour leader’s surprising General Election gains
BLAIRITE Labour MPs have been forced to eat their words after "unelectable" Corbyn's surprising General Election gains.
The Labour leader's critics have already swallowed their pride and admitted he fought an impressive campaign battle - despite his backbenchers' fears.
Former shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said Corbyn's election campaign it made him change his mind about his leader.
He now says he would return to the shadow cabinet if asked after being re-elected in Streatham, south London.
He said: "Jeremy has fought this campaign with enthusiasm, energy, verve.
"He has done a really, really good job getting across a hopeful, optimistic vision and set of policies."
He wasn't the only MP to begin u-turning on the day Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to apologise over a disastrous Tory election result.
Owen Smith who stood against Mr Corbyn last summer for leader said: "I was clearly wrong in feeling that Jeremy was unable to do this well.
"I don’t know what Jeremy’s got but if we could bottle it we’d all be doing very well."
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Some of the key details from the turbulent election night:
- Hung parliament confirmed with Tories missing out on majority of 326
- Theresa May vows to stay on and form a Government with the help of the 10 DUP MPs
- But she faces mounting pressure from within her party – with the odds slashed on Boris Johnson to be the next PM
- Fears grow Brexit negotiations could be sunk or delayed after the shock result
- Lib Dem leader Tim Farron clings on despite only making modest gains
- Ex -Deputy PM Nick Clegg loses Sheffield Hallam seat but Vince Cable regains Twickenham
- Home Secretary Amber Rudd holds on to Hastings seat by barely 300 votes
- Huge losses for SNP as former chief Alex Salmond and deputy leader Angus Robertson are both beaten by the Tories.
- Labour on march in London beating Tories to Battersea constituency but Tory Zac Goldsmith takes back Richmond with a majority of just 45
- Pound slides two per cent as exit poll predicts hung parliament
- Ukip voters desert party with vote share down by ten per cent
- Growing fears that Mrs May will have to call a second election later this year
- Jeremy Corbyn claims he won the election after making significant gains across the country
- Downing Street has confirmed that the cabinet hitters WILL keep their jobs
- In the last seat to be declared, Labour's Emma Dent Coad seized Kensington from the Tories, giving the Conservatives 318 seats and Jeremy Corbyn's party 262