British lawmaker Angela Eagle to challenge Jeremy Corbyn for Labour leadership - media

British Labour Party politician Angela Eagle at a pre-Brexit referendum debate in London on June 9, 2016 PHOTO: AFP

LONDON (REUTERS) - A lawmaker from Britain's opposition Labour Party, Angela Eagle, will announce on Thursday that she will bid for the leadership of the party amid a broad revolt against current leader Jeremy Corbyn, media reports said.

The expected move means both of Britain's two biggest political parties will be embroiled in leadership battles after last week's decision by voters to leave the European Union.

Eagle, a former pensions minister, quit as Labour's top business official on Tuesday, one of more than 20 people to resign from Corbyn's opposition policy team.

Many Labour MPs are angry at Corbyn for what they see as his lacklustre performance in the campaign to keep Britain in the EU. Britons voted in a referendum last week to leave, triggering turmoil in global financial markets and fears of a recession in Britain.

Earlier on Wednesday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said the party risked an "existential crisis" as Corbyn refused to bow to pressure to resign.

Corbyn, a veteran hard-left Labour lawmaker, commands strong support among party activists who helped him clinch a surprise victory in a leadership contest held last year.

But he is unpopular with many Labour MPs, who passed a motion of no confidence in him this week.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who has promised to resign after losing the EU referendum, told Corbyn during a session of parliament on Wednesday: "For heaven's sake, man, go!"

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