Corbyn quits as head of 'extreme' anti-war group after it publishes a furious attack on the Queen as a 'criminal friend to despots

Jeremy Corbyn last night resigned as the leader of a controversial anti-war group after it published a 'disgraceful' attack on the Queen.

The Labour leader announced he was quitting as chairman of the Stop the War Coalition hours after the organisation accused the Queen of having a 'criminal record' and 'lubricating Britain's wars'.

In a 'poem' published on the Stop the War Coalition's website, Mr Corbyn allies accused the Royal family of being arms dealers and 'friends to despots and dictators'.

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Jeremy Corbyn last night resigned as the leader of a controversial anti-war group after it published a 'disgraceful' attack on the Queen

Despite stepping down Mr Corbyn yesterday claimed the organisation represented 'the very best in British political campaigning' and promised that its cause 'will remain my cause'.

However, Mr Corbyn's was today facing pressure from Labour shadow ministers to distance himself from the anti-war group.

Kevan Jones, the shadow defence minister, told the Sunday Telegraph: 'This slur on the Queen will be highly offensive to members of our Armed Forces and many ordinary Labour voters.

'I am sure these are not the views of Jeremy Corbyn but it is time he distanced himself from some of the more extreme elements of the anti-war coalition.'

Jeremy Corbyn last night resigned as the leader of a controversial anti-war group after it published a 'disgraceful' attack on the Queen.

The Labour leader announced he was quitting as chairman of the Stop the War Coalition hours after the organisation accused the Queen of having a 'criminal record' and 'lubricating Britain's wars'.

In a 'poem' published on the Stop the War Coalition's website, Mr Corbyn allies accused the Royal family of being arms dealers and 'friends to despots and dictators'.

Scroll down for video 

+3

Jeremy Corbyn last night resigned as the leader of a controversial anti-war group after it published a 'disgraceful' attack on the Queen

Despite stepping down Mr Corbyn yesterday claimed the organisation represented 'the very best in British political campaigning' and promised that its cause 'will remain my cause'.

However, Mr Corbyn's was today facing pressure from Labour shadow ministers to distance himself from the anti-war group.

Kevan Jones, the shadow defence minister, told the Sunday Telegraph: 'This slur on the Queen will be highly offensive to members of our Armed Forces and many ordinary Labour voters.

'I am sure these are not the views of Jeremy Corbyn but it is time he distanced himself from some of the more extreme elements of the anti-war coalition.'

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The Labour leader announced he was quitting as chairman of the Stop the War Coalition hours after the organisation accused the Queen of having a 'criminal record' and 'lubricating Britain's wars'

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The row comes after Mr Corbyn sparked widespread condemnation for refusing to sing the national anthem at the Battle of Britain commemorations at St Paul's Cathedral

CORBYN FACING REBELLION ON TRIDENT, NATO AND BOMBING ISIS

Jeremy Corbyn is facing a growing shadow cabinet rebellion on a host of key policies.

Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn this morning insisted Labour would not scrap Britain's nuclear deterrent or leave Nato.

Mr Benn's intervention comes despite Mr Corbyn opposing the replacement of Trident and has questioned the role of the international military alliance.

But Mr Benn said Nato was the 'conerstone of our security' and insisted he did not see Britain withdrawing.

He told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: 'My view is that we need to maintain an independent nuclear deterrent.'

Asked if he could serve in the shadow cabinet if the party voted to leave Nato and get rid of Trident, he replied: 'I don't think that is going to happen.'

Senior Labour figures have also privately pledged support for airstrikes in Syria with half of Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet ready to back intervention, according to the Sunday Times.

It names Mr Benn as one of the key figures ready to back the Government if a coherent plan to tackle Islamic State is put forward.

Dr Liam Fox, the former defence secretary, said Mr Corbyn must 'make up his mind whether he is a grown-up politician who is leader of Her Majesty's Opposition or commander in chief of the hater brigade'.

Sir Gerald Howarth, the former Tory defence minister, added: 'He should be ashamed to be associated with an organisation which is so disrespectful to the monarch.'

The row erupted as the Labour leader faced mounting pressure over his opposition to monarchy, Britain's nuclear weapons and any military action against ISIS.

It also comes after Mr Corbyn sparked widespread condemnation for refusing to sing the national anthem at the Battle of Britain commemorations at St Paul's Cathedral.

Mr Corbyn, a life-long republican, also refused to confirm he would kneel in front of the Queen – despite accepting a position on the Privy Council.

Following the row, Mr Corbyn's Stop the War Coalition published its 'investigative poem' against the Royal family.

The poem by Heathcote Williams it titled 'God save the Queen: long may she reign as she and her family lubricate Britain's wars'.

It reads: 'The country survives despite its own past not because of it/ And its infantile wish for a benign parent above politics/ Persuades it to ignore unpleasant facts, such as the sovereign's endorsing/ The very nastiest political act of all, namely killing.'

It goes on to describe the Queen's role being to inspect 'row after row' of soldiers who have been 'broken down', 'reconfigured' and 'programmed to kill on command'.

It goes on: 'The sovereign is crucial to the lubrication of Britain's wars/ By its gulling soldiers into dutifully dying;/ Then, after paying homage to such victims of state carnage,/ By its encouraging arms-trade profiteering.'

The poem says the Queen was 'groomed' to join 'the UK's military-monarchy-complex'.

Mr Corbyn has been part of the Stop the War coalition since it was founded in 2001 in the wake of the war in Afghanistan.

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn told the Sunday Telegraph that his decision to stand down was unrelated to the poem. 

Jeremy Corbyn on NOT singing the national anthem

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PUBLIC HAVE THEIR SAY ON 'RED JEZ' JEREMY CORBYN: KEEP THE BEARD BUT START SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM!

Jeremy Corbyn's election as Labour leader has failed to give the party any boost in the polls – despite voters welcoming him as a 'positive difference from other politicians'.

In the first poll since Mr Corbyn's victory last weekend, Labour's support has inched up by 1 per cent.

However, the Conservatives have stretched their lead over Labour to 12 points – and are now backed by 42 per cent of voters.

Despite the poll boost for the Tories 52 per cent of the public agree that Mr Corbyn is making people more interested in politics and four in 10 say he is a welcome change.

Some 37 per cent agree with the claim that he is a danger to economic security, while 31 per cent disagree.

Meanwhile 35 per cent think he is a danger to national security, compared with 34 per cent who disagree with that statement.

By contrast, only 25 per cent think David Cameron is a danger to national security compared to 53 per cent who think he is not.

Meanwhile, exactly half of voters believe Mr Corbyn should have sung the national anthem at the Battle of Britain memorial last week – with just 29 per cent saying it was not necessary.

Just one in five voters believe he should 'smarten up his appearance' by shaving his beard – while half say he should not have to.

Today's poll for the Independent on Sunday/Sunday Mirror also found that around twice as many Britons say they are unfavourable towards Mr Corbyn as say they are favourable at 42 per cent to 24 per cent.