Shadow secretary of state for Scotland Ian Murray has resigned from Labour's top team.

The resignation of Scotland's only Labour MP from the shadow cabinet comes amid civil war in the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP).

The Edinburgh South MP claimed the public did not believe Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn could be Prime Minister, adding: "He's a decent human being, a lovely man who I got on incredibly well with, but he just can't lead the Labour Party."

Former shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn was summarily dismissed overnight after telling Corbyn he no longer had confidence in him.

The move sparked a spate of shadow cabinet resignations.

Heidi Alexander was first to quit as shadow health secretary, saying a "change of leadership is essential".

Ashfield MP Gloria de Piero also stepped down from her role as shadow minister for young people & voter voter registration.

Following Murray's resignation, shadow education secretary Lucy Powell was next to resign, calling Corbyn's position as leader of the party "untenable" and that he should stand down.

Shadow transport secretary Lilian Greenwood and shadow environment secretary Kerry McCarthy have quit as well, along with Seema Malhotra, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.

Later on Sunday evening, shadow Northern Ireland secretary Vernon Coaker and shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer joined the growing list of shadow cabinet members tendering their resignations.

They were followed by shadow attorney general and MP for Kingston upon Hull East, Karl Turner, who said he resigned "with a very heavy heart".

Turner brings the number of Corbyn's top team who have resigned over a lack of confidence in his leadership to 11.

Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson said he was "deeply disappointed" at Hilary Benn's sacking and "equally saddened" by the resignations.

Watson added his focus was to "hold the Labour Party together in very turbulent times" and said he would meet Jeremy Corbyn on Monday to discuss the "way forward".

Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham, who stood against Corbyn during the leadership contest, said he would not take part in a "coup" against the party leader.

Burnham commented: "At an uncertain time like this for our country, I cannot see how it makes sense for the opposition to plunge itself into a civil war."

He added it was "for our members to decide who leads our party".

Shadow minister for women and equalities Cat Smith has also backed the Labour leader, saying MPs should respect the mandate given to Corbyn by the party's grassroots.

As Scotland's only Labour MP, Ian Murray's resignation leaves a vacuum as to who beleaguered Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn can use to replace the Edinburgh South MP in the shadow Scottish secretary portfolio.

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland, Murray said: "I think the Labour Party has to be a strong opposition, it has to build a very broad coalition to get back into government."

He continued: "I think the Labour Party more than ever needs to be in government and I'm just not sure that... can be delivered with Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party."

Murray called his resignation "the hardest political decision I've ever made, but I've done it because I care about my party, but also, more than that, care about the country".

He said: "I don't think Jeremy Corbyn is able to lead us, to be Prime Minister, and I'm not just doing this in public - I raised this in our shadow cabinet on Friday.

"I did say to the shadow cabinet and to Jeremy directly that I didn't think, at this moment in time, that he could be Prime Minister, and if he thinks he could be Prime Minister, then he's talking to the wrong people and needs to change.

"His change seems to be to have sacked Hillary Benn. I think that's the wrong way to go, and I think this is the final straw for many people in the shadow cabinet who served for unity in the party and also in the country.

"But we do need change now because the Labour Party cannot win a General Election in its current state."

The Edinburgh South MP added: "The Labour Party needs to stop talking to itself. This is why we've got into this position both at UK level and to a greater or lesser extent the same position in the Scottish Labour Party."

Murray said of Corbyn: "I think Jeremy has to reflect on where he thinks the Labour Party is going. I think Jeremy Corbyn has to look at himself seriously in the mirror and see if he sees himself walking down Downing Street being Prime Minister, whether or not there's an election in six months or in May 2020.

"I think he's going to find it very difficult to answer 'yes' to those questions, regrettably - he's a decent human being, a lovely man who I got on incredibly well with, but he just can't lead the Labour Party and I don't think the public think he can be Prime Minister."

A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: "Ian informed Kezia Dugdale of his decision this morning, she thanked him for his work in the UK shadow cabinet and is sure he will of course continue to play a key role in Labour's future in Scotland."

Hillary Benn said he was "not going to be a candidate for leader of the Labour Party" but insisted that change was needed at the top of the party.

On BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, he said Mr Corbyn "is a good and decent man but he is not a leader".

Benn added it was "increasingly clear" there was concern about his leadership within senior ranks of the party.

Speaking on Peston's Politics on ITV, Heidi Alexander said: "I felt the only decent and honourable thing to do was to resign."

When asked if other cabinet ministers could follow, she said that she felt there were "a fair number of people who do feel similarly".

She stopped short of putting forward any names for the leadership, commenting: "I am not here to back any particular candidate and am not running in any leadership contests myself."

She added: "This is about the future of the party.

"This is a very difficult time for all of us. It's not a decision that any of us want to make but sometimes you have to make tough decisions."

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has insisted Jeremy Corbyn is "not going anywhere" despite the shadow cabinet revolt.

However, ITV reported Labour MPs were being canvassed over whether they would support the shadow chancellor in a potential leadership takeover.

McDonnell insisted he would "never stand" for Labour leader.

A spokesman for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was "the democratically elected leader of the Labour Party and will remain so".