‘Witch-hunt’ Watson pressing for Sir Keir to give him a peerage
TOM WATSON privately hopes for a second shot at a peerage under Sir Keir Starmer, his allies have said.
A source close to the former Labour deputy leader said Mr Watson is desperate to return to Parliament and thinks he has more of a chance if proposed by Sir Keir. His failed attempt last year was part of three rejected peerages, all put forward by Jeremy
Corbyn – alongside aide Karie Murphy and former Speaker John Bercow.
‘He thinks he has more of a chance a second time round,’ the source said of Mr Watson, pointing out that he would now be on a less controversial list. Last year
Mr Watson was rejected by the House of Lords appointments commission, reportedly over Operation Midland, after his role in plugging false claims by convicted fantasist Carl Beech.
Now chairman of UK Music, Watson nevertheless misses Parliament, the source said. Another insider praised Mr Watson’s experience but said the decision was up to Labour.
The source said Mr Watson and Sir Keir formed a bond when the ex-deputy leader backed Sir Keir’s second referendum plans while he was Shadow Brexit Secretary.
In 2012, Mr Watson told the Commons there was ‘clear intelligence’ about the existence of a ‘powerful paedophile network’ at Westminster.
Mr Watson later said of the victims of Operation Midland: ‘I understand why they are angry and I understand why some of the anger is targeted at me.’
He added: ‘I did my best… I am genuinely very, very sorry that the inquiries didn’t go the way they did.’
Mr Watson could not be reached for comment, but one ally of Sir Keir warned the Labour leader about a ‘political minefield’ if he revived talk of a Watson peerage.