Corbyn Replaces Europe, Defence Chiefs

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Wednesday sacked his Europe policy chief for disloyalty and gave the defence post on his top team to a lawmaker who shares his view that the country’s nuclear deterrent should not be renewed.

After days of hesitation, described by Prime Minister David Cameron as “the longest reshuffle in history”, Labour said Emily Thornberry, who has previously voted against renewing Britain’s nuclear-armed Trident submarines, would replace pro-Trident Maria Eagle in the so-called shadow cabinet.

Europe shadow secretary Pat McFadden also said he had been sacked in the first reshuffle since Corbyn was elected leader in September last year, in part due to comments McFadden made about terrorism which he said Corbyn interpreted as a challenge to his own response to the Paris attacks.

“There were issues about loyalty,” Corbyn ally and shadow finance minister John McDonnell told the BBC.