Jeremy Corbyn insists he HASN’T lost control of Labour and he doesn’t expect more MPs to resign after Tristram Hunt walks out to be Director of the V&A

JEREMY Corbyn says he HASN'T lost control of the Labour party and doesn't expect more MPs to quit.

The Labour leader this afternoon praised Tristram Hunt, who stepped down today to take up a job as Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and he was gearing up for the by-election.

He insisted: "I haven't lost control of the party, the party isn't out of control.

"We are a very large party, with a growing membership... we have a party that is very active."

"No, I'm not expecting any other MPs to resign. Obviously we face any by-election that comes along. 

"If they come, they come."

He went on: "We are determined to change the economic direction of this country, to tackle the inequality that this government is creating."

The former Shadow Education Secretary and historian will leave the Commons to take up the plum role later this year after it was signed off by Theresa May.

It creates trouble for the leftie-boss, as the party will face another tricky by-election in an area that voted overwhelmingly for Brexit.

And despite his frequent criticisms of the leadership, in a letter to his constituents he said he had “no desire to rock the boat” and insisted anyone who interpreted his decision to quit as an attempt to damage the embattled leftie is "just plain wrong".

He said serving in Parliament had been "both deeply rewarding and intensely frustrating" and told of the "harrowing effects of poverty and inequality" he had seen during his work as an MP.

"There were very few jobs that would have convinced me to stand down as MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, but the post of director of the V&A – the world’s greatest museum of art, design and performance – is just that."

Mr Corbyn is facing an uphill battle as he seeks to shift Labour's public image.

Earlier today new analysis showed Theresa May is enjoying the longest honeymoon of any Tory PM sine the 1950s as she stretches ahead of troubled Labour in the polls.

And the Conservatives are still on the attack, launching a fundraising drive off the back of "five days of Labour chaos".

They said: "The British people need a party who will speak up for the ordinary working people of Britain and build a country that works for everyone. Labour can't do it. Only the Conservatives will."

Mr Hunt's resignation comes just weeks after Labour MP for Copeland, Jamie Reed, said he would be stepping down from his role for a job in the nuclear industry.

He was also a long-standing critic of Mr Corbyn's leadership, and has raised concerns that MPs are keen to jump ship as they don't think he can win a General Election.

Citing his "shameful" and "ugly" views on internationalism on Nato, Mr Reed slammed Mr Corbyn for "driving millions of traditional Labour voters away".