Emotional Alan Kelly resigns as Labour Party leader

It is understood there will be an emergency meeting of the executive board in the next 48 hours and an interim leader will be appointed

Alan Kelly (centre) leaving Leinster House, Dublin, after resigning on Wednesday evening. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Alan Kelly has announced he is to resign as Labour Party leader after his parliamentary colleagues told him they had lost confidence in him.

Delivering a public statement at Leinster House on Wednesday evening, Mr Kelly acknowledged that the party had not made progress in the opinion polls under his leadership.