Jeremy Corbyn has made wholesale changes to his shadow cabinet in a desperate bid to retain control of the Labour party.

More than half the shadow cabinet have now quit and including dozens more shadow ministers and parliamentary private secretaries.

For the new appointments it is likely to be a short-term change as it is almost inevitable that Corbyn will face a leadership challenge and be forced to step down. The Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) will discuss a motion of no confidence in his leadership in a meeting tonight before a secret ballot which could be held on Tuesday. A simple majority is needed to overturn his reign.

But his core supporters have capitalised on the chaos and there are several Christians in the new appointees to the shadow cabinet.

Emily Thornberry receives a promotion from shadow defence secretary to shadow foreign secretary. She replaces Hilary Benn who was sacked over the weekend.

Another long-term ally of Corbyn Diane Abbott is promoted from shadow international development secretary to shadow health secretary. She takes the place of Heidi Alexander who was one of the first shadow cabinet members to depart.

Pat Glass is a committed Catholic is another to get an internal promotion from shadow Europe minister to shadow education secretary. A prominent Remain campaigner, Glass wrote for Christians on the Left on "The Case to Remain" but caused controversy when she told campaigners not to talk to old white men because they were the "problem".

Rachael Maskell is a committed Christian and vice-chair of Christians on the Left. She has written for Christian Today on abortion and Royal College of Midwives and takes over as environment food and rural affairs shadow secretary.

Cat Smith describes Jesus and herself as a "radical socialist". She has a Methodist background and said in an interview with Huffington Post: "Jesus was a radical socialist. He was there turning over the tables in the temple, and healing the sick, and touching lepers. Labour owes more to Methodism than to Marxism, as they say. Christianity and Jesus, as I know that relationship to be, I'm inspired by someone who was the Son of God, but he was also a socialist." She takes over as shadow minister for voter engagement and youth affairs.

Clive Lewis was promoted from a shadow minister of energy and climate change to become the new shadow defence secretary, taking over from Emily Thornberry. However he immediately caused amusement after Labour's chair of defence said he would assume control at defence questions on Monday afternoon if Lewis was not back from Glastonbury music festival in time.

Andy McDonald is a new addition to the cabinet having been promoted from a shadow transport minister to shadow transport secretary.

Rebecca Long-Bailey is promoted from shadow treasury minister to shadow chief secretary to the treasury.

Kate Osamor takes over from Diane Abbott as international development secretary after a short stint as shadow minister for women and equalities.