Watson should reflect on his ties to Mosley, says Mcdonnell

TOM WATSON should cut his ties with Max Mosley and “consider seriously” whether to hand back more than half a million pounds given to him by the tycoon, John Mcdonnell has suggested.

Mr Mcdonnell claimed it was evident that Mr Mosley “clearly hasn’t changed” as he called on Labour’s deputy leader to reflect on his dealings with him. It comes after Mr Mosley was allegedly found to have published a campaign leaflet in the Sixties which claimed that “coloured immigration threatens your children’s health”.

Mr Watson, who received £500,000 from Mr Mosley over a 12-month period, has faced calls from Tory and Labour MPS to hand back the donations. However, last week he said he had no plans to do so, despite Jeremy Corbyn confirming that Labour will no longer accept donations from the former F1 boss.

The shadow chancellor yesterday said he was concerned that Mr Mosley was “reiterating these views from the past”, adding that “he clearly hasn’t changed”. Asked about the money, Mr Mcdonnell told Sky News: “The money was given to Tom, Tom took that decision, he took that decision on the basis, I believe, that Max Mosley’s views had changed from years ago.”

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph last night, a spokesman for Mr Watson said: “The Labour Party has said it won’t accept any further donations from Max Mosley. Max no longer holds the views he held over half a century ago.”

Mr Mosley has said previously that the leaflet is “not something I would have ever wished to be associated with”, adding that his views had “changed over the last half century”.