Civil war has broken out within the Labour Party as one shadow cabinet minister quit and another was sacked over concerns that Jeremy Corbyn was leading the party to electoral disaster.

Former shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn was summarily dismissed after telling Mr Corbyn he no longer had confidence in him, while Heidi Alexander quit as shadow health secretary after saying a "change of leadership is essential".

Speaking on Peston's Politics, Ms Alexander said: "I felt the only decent and honourable thing to do was to resign."

When asked if other cabinet ministers could follow, she said that she felt there were "a fair number of people who do feel similarly".

She stopped short of putting forward any names for the leadership, however, commenting that "I am not here to back any particular candidate and am not running in any leadership contests myself," adding "this is about the future of the party".

"This is a very difficult time for all of us. It's not a decision that any of us want to make but sometimes you have to make tough decisions."

Mr Benn said earlier he was "not going to be a candidate for leader of the Labour Party" but insisted that change was needed at the top of the party. On BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, he said Mr Corbyn "is a good and decent man but he is not a leader".

Amid speculation that a full-blown coup against Mr Corbyn was being launched by shadow cabinet ministers, Mr Benn said it was "increasingly clear" there was concern about his leadership within senior ranks of the party.

Mr Benn said: "At this absolutely critical time for our country, following the EU referendum result, the Labour Party needs strong and effective leadership as we take decisions of huge importance for the future of our country.

"We don't currently have that and there is also no confidence that we will be able to win a general election as long as Jeremy remains leader."

Asked if there would be further resignations, Mr Benn said: "Of course members of the shadow cabinet, as you would expect - certainly in the wake of the referendum result - have been talking to each other.

"It is for each individual to make their own decision, I have made mine and I made my views clear to Jeremy.

"He is a good and decent man but he is not a leader and that is the problem."

John McDonnell has insisted Jeremy Corbyn is "not going anywhere" despite the prospect of a shadow cabinet revolt.

Meanwhile in Scotland, Labour's only standing MP Ian Murray is widely expected to stand down from his position, putting yet more pressure on Mr Corbyn.

Hilary Benn was sacked by Mr Corbyn in the early hours of Sunday morning while the shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander resigned shortly before 9am.

The shadow chancellor was asked on the BBC's Sunday Politics programme if the shadow cabinet turmoil will lead to Mr Corbyn being replaced as Labour leader.

He said: "No, not at all, not at all. Jeremy's not going anywhere. "He was elected nine months ago, the biggest mandate of any political leader in our country, and he is not going anywhere.

"The people who are sovereign in our party are the members. "It's the members who elected Jeremy and he will remain."