Labour deputy leader Tom Watson is, it’s safe to say, not popular with most Labour members. After his role in last summer’s ‘chicken coup’ and his snide speech at Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, any currency he had with the huge Corbyn-supporting majority had evaporated even before revelations of Watson’s ‘Project Anaconda‘ plan to try to strangle Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
He appears not to have learned any lessons.
A very senior Labour source has talked to the SKWAWKBOX about Watson’s current thinking and positioning – and it makes shocking reading, even to those with an already-Stygian opinion of the man.
The information from the senior source fits perfectly with Watson’s statement to the Co-operative Party’s economic conference at the weekend that Britain “keep an open mind” about Trump’s economic policies – a statement that Watson has published on his website – and with Watson’s known disloyalty to the party’s leader.
Here’s what this source had to say about Watson:
Tom Watson is hoping that Brexit is going to damage Jeremy Corbyn by causing his supporters who don’t want to leave the EU to either leave the party or discontinue their support for Corbyn. He thinks that he can increase his popularity by adopting an ‘ultra old blue Labour‘ approach in the hope of positioning for the leadership.
He’s banking on changes to the membership make-up, but he’s more than ready to ‘go national socialist‘ [those are the exact words used!] to appeal to people who basically agree with Trump’s attitude to Muslims. He’ll go as far to the right as he thinks is useful.
Watson has no morals or integrity, he’s a spider at the centre of a web. He has money and the party machine behind him and he’s perfectly happy to drag the party to the right to achieve his aim.
This would make Labour genuinely unelectable, but our right-wingers don’t care as long as they regain control of the party – which of course is exactly what they accuse the left of.
(Edit: since some comments indicate some people don’t realise, ‘National Socialist’ has nothing to do with Watson joining the Socialist Party. It was the full name of the Nazi party)
This writer knows about the utter contempt in which Watson is held by the vast majority of Labour members, but the idea that Watson would be ready to appeal to racism and xenophobia in order to mount a challenge for the leadership is beyond the pale even for him.
If it is true that he entertains hopes of achieving the leadership, it will not be in a straight or fair fight.
Which means it’s more essential than ever that Watson is removed not just from the deputy leader’s position but from the party altogether – and that real Labour members make sure they are not outflanked for delegate positions at this year’s annual conference in Brighton, to ensure that no more anti-democratic rules can be unlawfully forced through, as happened at last year’s conference in Liverpool.
It’s also essential that no Corbyn supporters allow themselves to become demoralised into leaving the Labour Party and that everyone behind his vision who is able joins as a full member to strengthen his support. You can do so here.
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