'For heaven's sake, go!'

Prime Minister David Cameron, who promised to resign after Britain voted to leave the European Union, had some advice for his opposite number in the Labour Party yesterday: "For heaven's sake man, go!"

An overwhelming majority of Labour lawmakers passed a no confidence motion in Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday and almost all his senior policy team have withdrawn their support in protest at his leadership, but Corbyn has refused to step down.

Cameron, speaking in parliament, said it was not in the national interest for Corbyn to remain in his post.

"For heaven's sake man, go," Cameron said, drawing cheers from members of both parties. "It might be in my party's interest for him to sit there, it's not in the national interest."

Cameron's unusually blunt comments illustrate the pressure Corbyn is under to quit after Britain voted to leave the EU following a campaign in which critics say Corbyn did not do enough to persuade voters to back 'Remain'.

Cameron also said his successor could begin negotiations with the European Union about the country's exit from the bloc before the formal 'Article 50' legal process is triggered, despite comments from the EU to the contrary.

"They have said 'no negotiation, without notification' but I don't think that excludes discussion that a new prime minister can have with partners or indeed with the institutions so that we continue to get off on the right foot," he said.

Cameron also said that keeping the United Kingdom together was of paramount importance, responding to concerns that its constituent nations could seek independence after Britons voted to leave the European Union.

"Keeping the United Kingdom together is an absolute paramount national interest for our country," he told parliament