CATHERINE McKINNELL resigned as shadow attorney general yesterday, citing family reasons and concerns about the “negative path” she claims the Labour Party is taking.

The Newcastle North MP said her shadow cabinet role had “inevitably become more of a challenge” since the arrival of her third child last year.

But in her letter to leader Jeremy Corbyn, Ms McKinnell also raised concerns about the “direction and internal conflict” within the party following last week’s reshuffle.

“I fear this is taking us down an increasingly negative path,” she wrote.

But Mr Corbyn stood by his decision to make changes to his top team last week, saying: “We’ve widened the shadow cabinet to represent the diversity of the country and diversity of the membership of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

“I’m happy with it. We’re moving on. We’re doing a lot of campaigning work.”

Shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer also insisted that the shadow cabinet remains a “very strong and diverse team.”

Mr Corbyn has a talented group of lawyers-turned-Labour MPs to choose from to replace Ms McKinnell.

As a former shadow attorney general under Ed Miliband, Emily Thornberry might have been a shoe-in to replace Ms McKinnell had she not been appointed shadow defence secretary last week.

He has promoted shadow solicitor general Karl Turner, former barrister and shadow justice minister Andy Slaughter or former human rights lawyer Keir Starmer from the backbenches.

Paula Sherriff also resigned yesterday for unknown reasons as an aide to shadow communities secretary Jon Trickett.