Britain's opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn's allies said the party chief had no intention of resigning, but his future looked shaky.
Britain's opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn faced an all-out revolt on Sunday with the resignation of at least 10 members of his top team over his handling of the EU referendum campaign.
Corbyn's allies said the party chief had no intention of resigning, but his future looked shaky amid accusations that he is ill-equipped to deal with the fallout from Britain's seismic decision to quit the bloc.
"He's a good and decent man but he is not a leader, and that's the problem," Labour MP Hilary Benn told BBC television after being sacked as foreign affairs spokesman late on Saturday after telling Corbyn he did not have confidence in his leadership.
His departure triggered a wave of resignations, including health spokeswoman Heidi Alexander, education spokeswoman Lucy Powell, Scottish spokesman Ian Murray and transport spokeswoman Lilian Greenwood.
By Sunday evening 10 members of Corby's top team had quit, also including justice spokesman Lord Charles Falconer, who was a close friend of former Labour leader Tony Blair, whom he served as Lord Chancellor.
"As much as I respect you as a man of principle, I do not believe you have the capacity to shape the answers our country is demanding," Alexander wrote in her resignation letter to Corbyn, which she published on Twitter.
One third of Labour voters chose to leave the European Union in Thursday's historic vote, against the advice of the majority of the party's MPs and the leadership.
Critics say Corbyn -- who for decades had expressed eurosceptic views -- could have done more to sway voters.
Two Labour MPs tabled a vote of no confidence in Corbyn on Friday, which is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the parliamentary Labour party (PLP) on Monday.
But the veteran socialist has indicated he does not intend to step down, as did his allies.
Labour finance spokesman John McDonnell told BBC television: "He was elected nine months ago, the biggest mandate of any political leader in our country, and he is not going anywhere."
'Civil War'Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson issued a statement saying he was "saddened" that so many colleagues had decided to quit, adding that he would hold "emergency talks" with Corbyn on Monday to "discuss the way forward".
"My single focus is to hold the Labour Party together in very turbulent times. The nation needs an effective opposition, particularly as the current leadership of the country is so lamentable," he said.
Corbyn supporter Diane Abbott, the party's international development spokeswoman, accused the rebels of plotting their move "for months".
Many Labour MPs have been critical of Corbyn since his unexpected election last September in a vote by party members.
But they said the voter revolt over the EU, the resulting turmoil and the possibility of an early general election following the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron made his position untenable.
"If a general election is called later this year, which is a very real prospect, we believe that under Jeremy's leadership we could be looking at political oblivion," Margaret Hodge, who tabled the no confidence motion, wrote in a letter to fellow Labour MPs.
Andy Burnham, a former government minister who fought Corbyn for the party leadership and lost, refused to back the revolt.
"At an uncertain time like this for our country, I cannot see how it makes sense for the opposition to plunge itself into a civil war," he wrote on Twitter.
Any challenger to Corbyn would need the support of 20 percent of the party's 229 MPs and it would then be put to party members, who are strongly supportive of the leader.
It was not immediately clear who might stand against him. Benn ruled himself out, while McDonnell also said he would "never stand for the leadership".