Labour figures are piling pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to quit immediately after the party’s election disaster, amid anger that he will stay for “a process of reflection”.

Several MPs and defeated candidates spoke out against their leader – blaming him personally for the heavy defeat and calling for the rebuilding operation to begin straight away.

Margaret Hodge, who held her London seat, tweeted: “Corbyn talking about a period of ‘reflection. I’ve reflected. You failed. Please stand down.”

Calling Boris Johnson’s triumph a “failure not just of Mr Corbyn himself, but Corbynism”, she told the BBC: “The people have now spoken and given it a resounding no and we have to listen to that.”

Phil Wilson, who lost Tony Blair’s former stronghold in Sedgefield, said: “I think he should consider his position, given this is the second election he has lost for the Labour party.

He added: “It’s time to move on. Labour voters don’t want to see a hard-left Labour Party.”

And Anna McMorrin, who held on in Cardiff North, asked if Mr Corbyn should resign immediately, said: “Yeah, I think we need to rebuild quickly now, or start the process at least of rebuilding the party.”

The calls came amid suggestions that Mr Corbyn might attempt to cling on for as long as next autumn’s party conference, despite Labour’s most calamitous defeat since the Second World War.

His allies took to the airwaves immediately to try to prop him up by arguing it was being on the wrong side of the Brexit debate – rather than personal unpopularity – that caused it.

The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Show all 8 1 /8 The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Keir Starmer The former director of public prosecutions undoubtedly has announced that he is standing for the leadership. He is highly-regarded by both left-wingers and centrists in the party. As Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary, he played a key role in the party’s eventual backing of a second referendum. Before becoming an MP, he was a human rights lawyer - conducting cases in international courts including the European Court of Human Rights. Launching his bid, Starmer said that Labour must listen to the public on how to change "restore trust in our party as a force for good." A YouGov poll places him comfortably in the lead as the preferred candidate of 36% of party members EPA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Lisa Nandy Wigan MP Lisa Nandy has announced she wil stand for the leadership. In a letter to the Wigan Post she said she wanted to bring Labour "home" to voters in its traditional strongholds who have abandoned the party. Nandy went on to say that she understands "that we have one chance to win back the trust of people in Wigan, Workington and Wrexham." A YouGov poll shows that Nandy is the first preference for 6% of partymembers. Getty The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Rebecca Long Bailey A key ally of the current left-wing leadership of the party, the Salford & Eccles MP is viewed in some quarters as the natural successor to Mr Corbyn and describes herself as a “proud socialist”. Highly regarded by the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell. She won also won plaudits for her performance filling in for Corbyn both at prime minister’s questions and during the general election debates. The shadow business secretary grew up by Old Trafford football ground and began her working life serving at the counter of a pawn shop. Launching her leadership bid, Long Bailey said the party needs to make the positive case for immigration as a "positive force." She also broke with Corbyn over Trident, saying "If you have a deterrent you have to be prepared to use it." PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Angela Rayner - Deputy leadership Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner has joined the contest for deputy leadership of the party. After ruling herself out of running for the leadership, the Ashton-under-Lynne MP launched her bid for deputy warning that Labour faces the "biggest challenge" in its history and must "win or die." She is close with leadership contender Rebecca Long Bailey PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Rosena Allin-Khan - Deputy leadership Shadow sport minister Rosena Allin-Khan said Labour need to listen with "humility" to lost voters as she launched her bid for the deputy leadership. Writing in The Independent, the MP for Tooting refelcted: "We shouldn’t have ignored the warning signs in Scotland, and now we’ve paid the price in northern England, across the midlands and in Wales." PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Dawn Butler - Deputy leadership Shadow women and equalities secretary Dawn Butler was first to announce her bid for the deputy leadership. The Brent Central MP has served in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet since 2016 PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Ian Murray - Deputy leadership Labour's only MP in Scotland said that the architects of the party's "catastrophic failure" in the December election can not be allowed to lead the party forward PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Richard Burgon - Deputy leadership Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon is standing as a continuity candidate, flaunting his loyalty to Jeremy Corbyn and saying it is wrong to blame the current leader for the election defeat PA

The theory was dismissed by Ian Murray, a former shadow Scotland secretary, among others, who said: “Every door I knocked on, and my team and I spoke to 11,000 people, mentioned Corbyn.

“Not Brexit but Corbyn. I've been saying this for years. The outcome is that we've let the country down and we must change course and fast.”

Ms Hodge said she was “really angry”, arguing voters had reacted with “disbelief” to Labour’s economic plans and “didn’t trust” Mr Corbyn on national security.

“Labour has become the nasty party and I am one of the victims with the antisemitism,” she added.

Earlier, Mr Corbyn defended his “extremely popular” policies, blamed Brexit and announced only that he would stand down before the UK next goes to the polls.

“I want to also make it clear that I will not lead the party in any future general election campaign,” he said, as he accepted victory in his Islington North constituency.

“I will discuss with our party to ensure there is a process now of reflection on this result and on the policies that the party will take going forward.