BOLTON South East MP Yasmin Qureshi was one of only 40 Labour Members of Parliament to back under-pressure leader Jeremy Corbyn, she has revealed.

A vote of no confidence in Mr Corbyn has been passed, with 172 MPs voting in favour of it and just 40 choosing to support the party leader.

Ms Qureshi has up to know remained tight lipped on the ongoing issue of the Labour leadership but has now confirmed she did back him in the secret ballot and continues to support the Islington MP.

She said: "For me the position is clear, the Labour Party has a democratically elected leader, voted for less than a year ago by our party members.

"Of course, there are moments throughout a leadership where you disagree and when it comes to it there is an election process in order to challenge that leadership.

She added: “Until that process is triggered I will continue to support Jeremy and carry on with my duties working for Bolton and opposing this government, as have done in questioning the Tories as they drag their feet tackling the spate of hate crime further driving a wedge through our communities."

Mr Corbyn has faced a mass-exodus of his shadow cabinet members who believe he failed to show leadership in urging people to vote for Britain to remain in the European Union last week and a leadership election now looks likely to take place.