THE mayhem in Labour ranks continued today, with one former member of Jeremy Corbyn's top team urging him to quit now rather than "drag this out" as frontbenchers continued to quit.

Mr Corbyn lost 12 members of his shadow cabinet on Sunday and further resignations have already taken place on Monday ahead of a crunch meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

READ MORE: Labour in turmoil as only Scottish MP among mass shadow cabinet resignations

Shadow foreign minister Diana Johnson, shadow civil society minister Anna Turley and shadow defence minister Toby Perkins all resigned as the protest against Mr Corbyn's leadership continued.

Former shadow education secretary Lucy Powell, who resigned on Sunday, insisted it was not a "planned coup" against Mr Corbyn but instead a reaction to the "seismic" events which have shaken Westminster in recent days - the EU referendum result and David Cameron's resignation.

READ MORE: Labour in turmoil as only Scottish MP among mass shadow cabinet resignations

Mr Corbyn has vowed to fight on as leader, challenging the rebels to put up a candidate to stand against him, but Ms Powell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she hoped he would "not drag this out any longer than necessary".