Lord Janner’s son tells Corbyn: Scrap Watson peerage
JEREMY CORBYN is facing an impassioned plea to withdraw the offer of a peerage to Tom Watson over his role in the row about a VIP paedophile ring.
Daniel Janner, whose father Greville was caught up in the false claims, has told Mr Corbyn that honouring the exLabour deputy leader would be ‘wrong and inappropriate’.
He has also appealed to the Lords’ vetting commission to warn that a d mi t t i n g Mr Watson to the Upper House would bring the entire system ‘into disrepute’.
Mr Corbyn’s proposed list of eight new peers sparked a storm last month over reports it included ex-Speaker John Bercow and Karie Murphy, the Labour leader’s former chief of staff. It led to calls for both proposals to be blocked on the grounds that Mr Bercow faces new bullying allegations and that Ms Murphy should wait until t he publication of an inquiry into how Labour handled antisemitism. But last night, the row also engulfed Mr Watson and his part in the affair of false claims of a VIP paedophile ring made by Carl Beech, also known as Nick.
Beech was jailed last July for 18 years for offences including perverting the course of justice. An official report found that Mr Watson had piled pressure on detectives investigating his allegations, i ncluding false abuse claims against Labour peer Greville Janner.
The late peer’s barrister son, Daniel, told The Mail on Sunday of his shock at Mr Corbyn’s recommendation and revealed he had written to ask him to withdraw Mr Watson’s name.
Mr Janner wrote: ‘He [Watson] was primarily responsible for whipping up the frenzy of false allegations in Westminster in 2012. These allegations have destroyed lives. A peerage would be inappropriate and wrong.’
In a letter to the Lords Appointments Commission, he said: ‘He supported Carl Beech in the making of false allegations against prominent people, including my beloved and innocent late father, Lord Janner.’
Mr Watson surprised coll eagues l ast November by announcing he was standing down for ‘personal, not political reasons. But it also came after ex- Tory MP Harvey Proctor, another victim of Beech’s false claims, threatened to challenge Watson in his seat.
However, there were also reports that Mr Watson, who frequently clashed with Mr Corbyn, would be rewarded with a peerage if he ‘went quietly’ and agreed to stand down before the Election.
Mr Watson’s spokesman said: ‘It was never Tom’s role to judge whether allegations were true – that was a matter for the police. It was right that police investigated allegations.’
As part of a wider announcement of new peers, Boris Johnson list is expected to include ex- Cabinet Minister Patrick McLoughlin and former Tory MP James Wharton. Dan Hannan, a former Tory MEP, is also expected to go to the Lords, as is Labour Brexit campaigner Gisela Stuart.