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Jeremy Corbyn today vows Labour will learn from its election disaster and listen to voters who abandoned the party.

In a personal letter to Sunday Mirror readers Mr Corbyn apologises for Thursday’s hammering.

And he tells them: “We will learn the lessons of this defeat, above all by listening to lifelong Labour voters who we’ve lost in working class communities. This party exists to represent them. We will earn their trust back.”

Mr Corbyn had previously stopped short of taking blame for the poll pummelling. But he redresses that omission and tells our readers: “I will make no bones about it.

The result was a body blow for everyone who so desperately needs real change in our country. And to Sunday Mirror readers, your support has been such a source of strength.

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“I’m sorry that we came up short and I take my responsibility for it.” But Mr Corbyn is unrepentant about the message he tried but failed to get across. He says: “I’m proud that our message was one of hope, rather than fear.”

Angry Labour MPs will get their first chance to tell Mr Corbyn what they think on Tuesday when the Parliamentary party meets. And they are unlikely to hold back after losing more than 50 colleagues in the electoral massacre unleashed by Boris Johnson.

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Among familiar faces who will not be returning are Don Valley’s Caroline Flint, Wakefield’s Mary Creagh, Bolsover’s Dennis Skinner, Delyn’s David Hanson, Keighley’s John Grogan and Gedling’s Vernon Coaker.

But MPs cannot demand Mr Corbyn goes quickly as there is no deputy leader to stand in after Tom Watson quit politics.

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That means Mr Corbyn will have to take an ear-bashing until a leadership election – a process likely to take several months.

John McDonnell yesterday confirmed he will quit as Shadow Chancellor.

Jeremy Corbyn's letter in full Dear Sunday Mirror readers, I will make no bones about it. The election result on Thursday was a body blow for everyone who so desperately needs real change in our country. To every single person who voted for the Labour Party – everyone who shared the hope that Britain could be a fairer country that works for the many, not the few – I say thank you, from the bottom of my heart. And to the Sunday Mirror and its readers, your support has been such a source of strength. I wanted to unite the country that I love but I’m sorry that we came up short and I take my responsibility for it. I remain proud of the campaign we fought. I’m proud that no matter how low our opponents went, we refused to join them in the gutter. And I’m proud that our message was one of hope, rather than fear. Millions of people saw in our manifesto a better future for themselves and their communities. Our policies to protect the NHS, end austerity, invest in every part of our country and tackle inequality, were popular with voters who saw through a ferocious smear and fear campaign against us. But despite our best efforts, this election was ultimately about Brexit. The Tory campaign, amplified by most of the media, managed to persuade many that only Boris Johnson could “get Brexit done.” That will soon be exposed for the falsehood it is, but in this election it overpowered our attempt to reach across the divide and bring our country together We will learn the lessons of this defeat, above all by listening to those lifelong Labour voters who we’ve lost in working class communities. This party exists to represent them. We will earn their trust back. Make no mistake: Labour is the greatest force for progressive change this country has ever known, and although this wasn’t our moment, our time will come again under new leadership. We will never give up on the commitment and determination to build a fairer and more decent society.

And he said he plans to walk away from frontline politics – meaning no return to the Shadow Cabinet – once Mr Corbyn goes.

But a defiant Mr McDonnell said Mr Corbyn had been the right man to lead Labour – and once again blamed Brexit.

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He told the BBC: “We had a party which was largely supportive of Remain but many of us were representing Leave constituencies. We were on the horns of a dilemma.

“If we vote one way to Leave, we would have alienated a lot of our Remain support. If we went for Remain, we alienate a lot of our Leave support.”