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Three shadow ministers have been fired and one quit after defying Jeremy Corbyn over Europe.

The four Labour frontbenchers were among 49 rebels who disobeyed the party whip to back a call for the UK to stay in Europe’s single market and customs union.

They voted for an amendment to the Queen’s Speech tabled by ex-shadow cabinet minister Chuka Umunna , who said there is no need to leave the EU “in a way that destroys people’s jobs”.

Mr Corbyn had ordered his MPs to abstain from voting on the amendment, which flopped after being backed by 101 MPs compared with 322 who blocked it.

Shadow Transport Minister Daniel Zeichner “regretfully” resigned after defying the edict.

The Remain-supporting MP for Cambridge – where 74% voted to stay in the EU – said: “I’m a passionate pro-European and straightforward politician so I’ve taken hard decision to resign as hadow minister to back the single market.

“I will remain committed to fighting both for Cambridge and for Labour from the backbenches in Parliament.”

The other three rebel frontbenchers were fired – Ruth Cadbury and Andy Slaughter, both Shadow Ministers for Housing, and Shadow Foreign Office Minister Catherine West.

(Image: REUTERS)

Frontbenchers who joined a similar rebellion four months ago over triggering Article 50 – including the four – were given a reprieve at the time.

But they were warned that if they repeated their revolt they should stand down or face the sack.

Labour’s official policy is to leave the single market while retaining the “exact same benefits” of membership.

But Mr Umunna, outlining his amendment in the Commons, said: “If we leave the single market, whatever the level of access negotiated, working people across Britain will be worse off and revenue to the Exchequer will plummet.”

The latest episode in Labour’s civil war came exactly three weeks after Mr Corbyn issued a rallying call for unity to his warring MPs following his surprise general election result.

(Image: Get Reading)

Labour’s manifesto pledged to leave the tariff-free trading bloc.

Business Secretary Greg Clark taunted Mr Umunna over his call to stay in the single market - less than a month after Gleefully mocking Labour’s divisions, the Cabinet Minister said: “Doesn’t he recall that only three weeks ago he was running on a programme of promising to leave it?

“That’s quite a big thing to forget.”

While the scale of Labour’s revolt surprised many in Westminster, Mr Corbyn was hit by a similar rebellion in February over triggering Article 50 - the formal mechanism for leaving the EU.

Frontbench rebels - including the four - were given a reprieve four months ago but warned that if they repeated their revolt they should stand down or face the sack.

(Image: Daniel Zeichner)

Lib Dem Leader Tim Farron seized on renewed Labour infighting, saying: “Millions of people who voted for Jeremy Corbyn were hoping for a new approach to Brexit .

“They will be feeling utterly betrayed tonight that he has yet again failed to oppose this government’s extreme Brexit agenda.

“On the most important issue of the day, Jeremy Corbyn ordered his MPs to sit on their hands.”

Earlier, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell used the final hours of the Queen’s Speech debate to blast the Government for blocking a ‘fair pay rise’ for public sector workers in a crunch vote 24 hours earlier.

He said: “Ministers have been quick to praise the devotion and bravery of our emergency services in the aftermath of the tragedies we have seen in recent weeks.

(Image: Jack Taylor)

“But they could not extend that generosity to give those men and women that put their lives on the line to keep us safe, a pay rise.”

The Tories and DUP voted down the amendment despite No 10 earlier suggesting a 1% cap on annual pay rises for public sector staff may be scrapped.

The signal raised hopes that Tory austerity was finally nearing the end.

But on a day of chaos at the heart of government, Chancellor Philip Hammond vetoed the move.

He told the Commons the Government must continue getting the UK’s public finances “back in order over a sensible period of time”.