Labour party leadership election to oust Corbyn officially triggered

Jeremy Corbyn will face off against Angela Eagle

Angela Eagle recently resigned as Shadow Business Secretary and called for Jeremy Corbyn to resign as leader of the Labour party (EPA)

An election to challenge Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership of the Labour party has been officially triggered, the party has said.

Angela Eagle, the former shadow business secretary, today announced her candidacy.

She has yet to announce any policies but says she can unite the Labour party.

"Jeremy Corbyn is unable to provide the leadership this huge task needs," she said at her launch event.

Labour said she had gathered nominations from 50 MPs and MEPs.

The announcement is however in danger of being overshadowed by developments in the Conservative party leadership election.

Iain McNicol, the party’s general secretary, said further arrangements would be made in due course.

“I have now received sufficient nominations to trigger a contest for the position of Leader of the Labour Party,” he said.

“I will now ask the Chair of the National Executive Committee to convene a meeting to confirm arrangements for an election.”

It is not yet clear whether Mr Corbyn will be automatically on the ballot paper in the leadership contest, or whether he would also have to gather nominations.

This might be difficult for him because of his very low levels of parliamentary support among MPs.

Legal advice given to the Labour party says that as an incumbent he ought to be represented in the race; this is however disputed.

The Labour leadership was hit by a spate of resignations from his shadow cabinet last month as dozens of MPs refused to serve under him and called for him to quit.

Mr Corbyn was elected just in September by a landslide of Labour members, supporters and affiliated trade unionists.

Party grandees and MPs however warned against his election.