Watson peerage a ‘stain’ on Lords, says Lamont
LABOUR former deputy leader Tom Watson has taken his seat in the House of Lords despite fierce criticism of his appointment over accusations he “destroyed” lives.
The political veteran, who served as MP for West Bromwich East for 18 years, will go by the title Lord Watson of Wyre Forest.
He wore the traditional scarlet robes for the short introduction ceremony in the Lords, where he swore the oath of allegiance to the King.
The 55-year-old chair of UK Music, who stepped down from Parliament at the 2019 election, was flanked by his supporters and fellow Labour peers, former Cabinet minister Lord Mandelson and Baroness Kennedy of Cradley.
Lord Watson’s nomination for a life peerage by party leader Sir Keir Starmer has previously been condemned at Westminster, most notably by Tory ex-chancellor Lord Lamont, who branded it a “stain” on the upper chamber and “an absolute disgrace”.
Former Lord Speaker Lord Fowler was also critical arguing it highlighted the need for urgent reform of the appointments system.
The controversy centres on the then Labour MP’s role in promoting the false claims of a VIP Westminster paedophile ring made by the fantasist Carl Beech, who used the pseudonym “Nick”.
The botched police inquiry into the fake allegations, which ended up costing millions of pounds, saw dawn raids on the homes of the late military chief Lord Bramall, the late Lord Brittan and former MP Harvey Proctor.
Lord Brittan, who served in Margaret Thatcher’s government, died aged 75 in 2015 before he was publicly cleared.
Shortly after his death, Mr Watson quoted Beech describing the former home secretary “as close to evil as a human being could get”.
Beech, himself a convicted paedophile, was subsequently jailed for 18 years for making up a string of fabricated claims, including rape, torture and murder.
The politician, who was accused of being the “cheerleader in chief” of the fake claims, was subsequently found by a review to have put pressure on investigating officers, although he disputed the findings.
He has since said he was “very sorry on many levels” over his involvement.