The Independent

Watson won’t apologise for Brittan sex case claims

- JONATHAN OWEN

The deputy Labour leader has refused to apologise for raising child sex abuse allegation­s

Tom Watson, the deputy Labour leader, has refused to apologise for raising child sex abuse allegation­s against the late Conservati­ve politician Leon Brittan.

Yesterday, David Cameron had said Mr Watson should “examine his conscience” after calls came for the West Bromwich East MP to apologise for repeating the allegation­s in the wake of the death of the former Tory Home Secretary.

The Labour MP wrote to Alison Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutio­ns (DPP) last year, demanding a “full review” into claims of rape and sexual abuse.

Lord Brittanwas questioned under caution last summer, but no further action was taken. He was never informed of this and died in January this year. Yesterday in Parliament, met with loud cries of “shame” from the Tory benches, Mr Watson said it was the victims of child abuse, rather than the late Lord Brittan, who are owed an apology.

He said: “When someone is accused of multiple sexual crimes by numerous completely unrelated sources the police have a duty to investigat­e, no matter who it is.

“The survivors of child abuse have been belittled and ridiculed for too long. That’s the real scandal here.”

The Labour MP, who has raised a series of allegation­s of paedophile networks in recent years, said: “I understand MPs feel aggrieved Leon Brittan was interviewe­d by the police and they are angry with my use of language.

“I also believe very many victims of this country have been too terrified to speak out for too long. It’s not all over just because a few famous people have gone to prison. It hasn’t all got out of hand just because people in high places are scared.”

Mr Watson faced mounting demands that he apologise for repeating child sex abuse allegation­s in the wake of Lord Brittan’s death. His brother, Sir Samuel Brittan, last week called on him to “apologise in public” for making “unforgivea­ble” slurs and “unfounded accusation­s”.

Bob Neill, the Conservati­ve chairman of the justice committe e , ye s t erday demanded that the letter Mr Watson wrote to Alison Saunders be made public.

“Both Watson’s letter to the DPP and the DPP’s letter to the police need to be made public because we need to know precisely what pressure was put on,” he said.

But Mr Watson insisted that his letter was prompted by a concern by an alleged victim that procedures were not being followed. He said: “It’s not for me to judge the validity of these claims but I believe I was right to demand that guidelines were adhered to.” He now faces being called to account by the Home Affairs select committee, which will meet later today to decide whether he should be summoned to explain his actions.

Conservati­ve MP James Berry, who is a member of the committee, said: “We’re deciding tomorrow whether to call him, but I think it’s likely that the committee will ask him to come and give evidence.”

Conservati­ve MP David Burrowes, said: “Tom Watson was very public in his judgement upon Leon Brittan and influentia­l in reopening the investigat­ion.

“He now needs to be public about the consequenc­es which led to a grave injustice for Leon Brittan and his family. He lit the fuse of investigat­ing Leon Brittan and now needs to be accountabl­e for the damage caused.”

Watson lit the fuse of investigat­ing Brittan and needs to be accountabl­e for the damage caused

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 ??  ?? Tom Watson was berated in the Commons by MPs
Tom Watson was berated in the Commons by MPs

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