LABOUR IMPLODES, PART II
Abbott ‘backs calls for Watson’s head’ after he spoke out against party elite
LABOUR’S civil war over anti-Semitism escalated yesterday as Diane Abbott appeared to support a demand for Tom Watson to resign.
The Shadow Home Secretary retweeted critical remarks about the deputy leader, including one questioning his position.
Labour imploded this week as Mr Watson ramped up pressure on the party over its handling of anti-Semitism in the wake of a damning BBC Panorama documentary.
Labour MPs Danielle Rowley and Emma Dent Coad were among those condemning Mr Watson, who wrote a critical letter to the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) general secretary Jennie Formby.
Miss Abbott shared one tweet from NEC member Claudia Webbe which said: ‘This is not behaviour befitting of the office of deputy leader. You should consider your position.’
Miss Rowley said it was ‘disgraceful’ for Mr Watson to ‘attack’ Miss Formby publicly while she is having chemotherapy for breast cancer. Miss Dent Coad expressed ‘solidarity’ with Miss Formby, who was heavily criticised alongside Labour’s director of communications Seumas Milne in the BBC report for allegedly interfering with the party’s anti-Semitism investigations.
‘Watson has been relentless. Shame on him,’ the MP tweeted.
Mr Watson wrote to Miss Formby calling for the party to publish its submission to a watchdog probing anti-Semitism claims and raising allegations she deleted emails relating to cases, which she denies. Eight ex-Labour officials told Panorama they had been undermined in their attempts to tackle the blight in the party. Labour has denied the claims and complained to the BBC.
A spokesman for Miss Abbott said: ‘Diane does think it is wrong to attack Jennie Formby. But she is certainly not calling on Tom Watson to resign.’
Miss Abbott later tweeted: ‘If you look at my Twitter profile you will see the words, “retweeting does not mean agreement”.’