Jeremy Corbyn has reportedly sacked Jon Trickett, the party’s election co-ordinator, after a series of dire polls showed that the Tories have taken a record lead over Labour.

The reported decision to sack Mr Trickett, on the eve of two critical by-elections, suggests that the Labour leader is trying to find a new strategy to win at the polls.

It comes as Mr Corbyn conducted a reshuffle of his shadow cabinet to fill vacancies left by senior frontbenchers who quit in order to defy his orders to back the Bill triggering Brexit.

The Labour leader promoted Rebecca Long-Bailey (Salford & Eccles) to shadow business secretary, taking the post vacated by the resignation of Clive Lewis when he voted against the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill in breach of Mr Corbyn's three-line whip on Wednesday.