Jeremy Corbyn's leadership in doubt if 'devastating' exit poll result is correct, John McDonnell suggests

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John McDonnell has said Labour will take “appropriate decisions” on Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership if the General Election result is as bad as the exit poll projects.

The Shadow chancellor, a close ally of the Labour leader, said if the projection of a humiliating defeat for the party was correct it would be “extremely disappointing”.

In an interview just after the poll was published when voting closed, Mr McDonnell was asked if Labour needed to replace Mr Corbyn. He replied: “decisions will be made”.

Discussing the possibility of the party’s leader would stepping back, he told the BBC: “We’ll see the results in the morning and then decisions will be made... Let’s see the results. We’ll make the appropriate decisions. We’ll always make the decisions in the best interests of the party.”

John McDonnell said 'decisions would be made' if the exit poll result is correct
PA

Labour, which had 243 MPs when Parliament was dissolved last month, is forecast to have lost 52 seats by the time all votes are counted – with the Tories receiving 86 more seats than all of the other representatives put together.

The forecast puts the Tories on 368, Labour on 191 and the Lib Dems on 13. If that proves to be correct, Mr Johnson will remain prime minister, with a clear majority to push through his Brexit plans.

It would prove a major victory for the Conservatives, marking their biggest win since 1987 when Ms Thatcher led the party, and would vindicate the PM's decision to push for the vote.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is set to suffer a humiliating defeat at the election, according to the exit poll
Getty Images

In contrast, it would be Labour's worst result since 1935.

And shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner said it represented a "devastating result for us" and "all the people who were really needing a Labour victory to improve their lives".

Asked if his party needed a new leader, Mr Gardiner said: "These are things that will be discussed by the leadership of the party in the next few days."

Labour was seeking to blame Brexit for the catastrophic electoral defeat predicted by the exit poll.

Mr McDonnell sought to blame a public discourse in which "Brexit has dominated", defended the left-wing policies adopted by him and Mr Corbyn.

Ahead of the election, Labour sources had been predicting he would only go if Mr Johnson won a majority. But they indicated Mr Corbyn would not resign immediately if he had no chance of becoming PM and would likely stay on into the new year while a leadership election is battled.

Activists who have canvassed for Labour had been citing Mr Corbyn as being vastly unpopular on the doorstep. There is little doubt a bitter row will now be played out between different wings of the party as the post-mortem examination is carried out.

Counting is under way in the general election, with a huge victory for the Tories expected
PA

Labour's Dagenham East candidate Margaret Hodge, a vocal critic of Mr Corbyn over his handling of anti-Semitism in the party, said the poll suggested an "utter failure" of "Corbynism".

Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon was following the script to blame the "Brexit election" and suggested the party could continue in the same vain saying the next election will be different "given Johnson's Thatcherite agenda".

Caroline Flint, a Labour former Europe minister standing in the Leave-backing Don Valley constituency, blamed multiple wings of the party.

"We're going to hear the Corbynistas blame it on Brexit and the Labour Uber Remainers blaming Corbyn," she said

"Both are to blame for what looks like a terrible night for Labour.

"Both have taken for granted Labour's heartlands."

A Labour Party spokesman delivered the Brexit-blaming message and sought to defend Mr Corbyn's legacy.

"We, of course, knew this was going to be a challenging election, with Brexit at the forefront of many people's minds and our country increasingly polarised," the spokesman said.

"But Labour has changed the debate in British politics.

"We have put public ownership, a green industrial revolution, an end to austerity centre stage and introduced new ideas, such as plans for free broadband and free personal care.

"The Tories only offered more of the same."

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