COPELAND MP Jamie Reed has written a scathing letter to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accusing him of 'poisoning' the party.

Despite overwhelmingly losing a confidence vote by 172 to 40, Mr Corbyn insisted he still has a "people's mandate" to remain as leader.

In a damning letter posted on Twitter, Mr Reed wrote: "In the short time you have been Leader, along with the Shadow Chancellor, you have sought to inject an unprecedented poison into our party. You have actively worked to divide Labour MPs from the Labour Party membership."

Among the 1,600 retweets and 1,800 shares was one from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who quoted Mr Reed's line: 'You heard female colleagues express their anguish... at the political culture you have sought to foster.'

Mr Reed, a former shadow health minister under Ed Miliband, told Mr Corbyn "without doubt you are not fit to lead our great party."

He wrote: "The Labour Party stands for a moral purpose that you do not share. We exist to redistribute power, wealth and opportunity through parliamentary democracy. Your actions have repeatedly shown that you do not believe that."