TORFAEN MP and Shadow Pensions Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds is the latest shadow cabinet member to resign. Here is his resignation letter:

Dear Jeremy,

It is with enormous regret that I write this letter to you to resign as Shadow Employment Minister. It has been a real privilege to serve in your frontbench team, first as Shadow Pensions Minister, and then in this role.

As you know, I have served you loyally since you became the leader of our party last September, something I set out in a TV interview on the weekend. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you, and have always found you to be a courteous, kind and generous colleague.

I have no doubt at all about your strong belief in a fairer society and your passionate desire to tackle inequality. I also want to pay tribute to you for the great dignity you have shown in the face of an often vicious attack from certain section of the press.

In recent days I have wrestled with my loyalty to you and my loyalty to the party and the people I represent in Torfaen. In the wake of the EU referendum result, we face an imminent General Election, and, in Wales, we have Council Elections in May 2017.

I spent over 20 years as a Labour Party activist, and have served a branch secretary and constituency party secretary for many years. I feel there is now a very real risk of the Labour Party splitting without a change of leadership. A split would make a Conservative government far more likely in the future, which would be a disaster for my constituents in Torfaen.

In my view, the Labour Party urgently needs a leader to unite it going forward and to give the party the best possible chance of doing well in a General Election, In light of the events of recent days, I have very reluctantly drawn the conclusion that a different leader is required to do that, and I am very sorry to say that I have lost confidence in your ability to unite the party and take on the Tories.

Yours sincerely,

Nick Thomas-Symonds MP

Labour Member of Parliament for Torfaen