Jeremy Corbyn finalises shadow cabinet reshuffle

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has finalised his frontbench team by filling posts left vacant after three shadow ministers resigned on Wednesday.

Kevan Jones, Jonathan Reynolds and Stephen Doughty quit in protest at the sacking of shadow cabinet members who were at odds with Mr Corbyn.

Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, dismissed the three MPs as being part of "a narrow, right-wing clique".

The moves complete Mr Corbyn's three day reshuffle.

His new appointments are: Kate Hollern, who becomes a shadow defence minister; Jenny Chapman, who becomes a shadow education minister; Jo Stevens becomes shadow prisons minister; Andy McDonald becomes shadow transport minister, Angela Rayner, shadow work and pensions and Fabian Hamilton, shadow foreign affairs.

Mr Jones quit his defence spokesman role over the issue of Trident after Mr Corbyn replaced pro-nuclear weapons MP Maria Eagle with Emily Thornberry, who favours unilateral nuclear disarmament.

Meanwhile, shadow rail minister Jonathan Reynolds and Stephen Doughty, a shadow foreign minister, quit over the sacking of shadow Europe minister Pat McFadden.

Mr Corbyn fired Mr McFadden for "disloyalty" after he appeared to criticise the Labour leader's stance on terrorism.

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From left: Kevan Jones, Jonathan Reynolds and Stephen Doughty all walked out in protest of Mr Corbyn's sackings

Mr Corbyn managed to avoid a further spate of resignations that had reportedly been threatened if he had sacked shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn.

In the end, after a protracted reshuffle, the changes he made saw anti-Trident MP Emily Thornberry replacing shadow defence secretary Maria Eagle, who moved to culture to replace sacked Michael Dugher.

Mr Benn, who disagrees with Mr Corbyn on key issues including bombing IS targets in Syria, denied he had been "muzzled" by Mr Corbyn after reportedly agreeing not to criticise the leader's policy positions from the front bench.

He said he would be carrying on with his job "exactly as before".