Watson warns of a battle ahead – after bid to axe him
‘Corrosive factionalism’
TOM Watson declared last night that he was ready to fight a ‘battle for the future of the Labour Party’ after an extraordinary attempt to abolish his position.
The Labour deputy leader called on members to fight ‘corrosive factionalism’ in the wake of the move, proposed by Jeremy Corbyn’s close ally Jon Lansman on Friday night.
The motion to remove the post of deputy leader after nearly 100 years was withdrawn from the ruling National Executive Committee at Mr Corbyn’s request on Saturday.
Instead – following a huge backlash – the leader proposed a broader ‘review’ of the deputy’s job, which could include another post being created that would be held by a woman.
Allies of Mr Watson have demanded to know when Mr Corbyn knew about the bid to remove the post of deputy. Interviewed on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show yesterday, Mr Corbyn refused to say exactly when he knew, adding: ‘I was not aware that the particular motion was going to be moved at that time. But I knew there were people discussing options.’
Asked a second time, he said: ‘I knew there were discussions going on about the role of deputy leader. I did not know that particular motion was going to be put at that time.’ Asked why he didn’t know, Mr Corbyn said: ‘I’m not all seeing and all knowing – I’d love to be.’
He insisted he gets on ‘absolutely fine’ with Mr Watson.
The deputy leader, who was met by cheering supporters as he arrived at Brighton station for the party conference on Saturday, was scathing about Mr Lansman, who runs the Corbyn- supporting Momentum group.
Speaking last night at a rally for Labour First, Mr Watson said sarcastically: ‘Seriously, about that Jon Lansman. We know now that he strikes a lonely figure. That he is a lone wolf operator.
‘And we know that because Jeremy denied any knowledge of it this morning which, as we all know in this room, means he didn’t do it.’
He later added: ‘We must resist the destructive, corrosive impulse of factionalism... I honestly think that there is a battle for the future of the Labour Party.’
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey yesterday dismissed as ‘fake news’ suggestions that he had been involved in the bid to scrap the post of deputy leader.
It has been claimed that the Unite delegation to the NEC backed the move on Friday night.