As the SKWAWKBOX reported last week, Emily Thornberry is said to be moving closer to triggering a contest for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party after a rousing response to her outstanding performance at PMQs when she stood in for Jeremy Corbyn because Theresa May was absent.
The #Emily4Deputy hashtag first trended on social media in late March, when news of preparations for a challenge first broke, and there is significant support. Even in March, Ms Thornberry was understood to have 35 or 36 nominations by MPs/MEPs lined up – enough to stand if the post was vacant, but short of the fifty or so required to force a contest against an incumbent.
However, the equation has shifted since the General Election and Ms Thornberry is said to be very close to the (now 57) nominations she would need to force a contest whether Mr Watson wants one or not – at one party this week, a room containing MPs and MEPs as well as party activists was near-unanimous in hoping for the challenge to be mounted as quickly as it could be arranged.
This puts Watson in something of a quandary – one to which the SKWAWKBOX understands he is keenly sensitive.
If Watson waits for a challenge to be triggered, he appears weak and passive – and as early as March he was already being described by Labour insiders as ‘running scared‘ of a challenge.
His alternative is to pick up the gauntlet and throw down one of his own – ironically by following the example of his former friend, Unite head Len McCluskey, who at the turn of the year triggered an early contest for his position as General Secretary of Unite in order to ‘refresh his mandate’ and secured his position for another five years, rather than waiting for his then-current term to expire.
This would at least allow Mr Watson to appear to be meeting the challenge head on instead of avoiding it and at least some of his allies appear to consider this to be his best hope – and it appears that Watson may agree.
Senior Labour insiders have told the SKWAWKBOX that Watson has started asking colleagues whether they would back him and, even more significantly, that cash is being raised by some of Watson’s allies for private polling to see if there’s any way he might win.
This blog considers it unlikely that Watson would have the stomach for the fight or the moral backbone to ask Labour members and union affiliates to back him again, even though Watson still has support in some sections of the ‘old union right’.
But it will be interesting to see whether he’s willing and able to confound that expectation or will choose to cross his fingers and hope Emily Thornberry won’t find the few remaining PLP/EPLP supporters she needs to force him to fight or, more likely, to concede rather than face a humiliating defeat.
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Emily Thornberry every time, Tom Watson appears to be untrustworthy.
Events have overtaken Watson.
His star is no longer in the ascendency and the baggage of his hard right leanings render him “damaged goods.”
He’s of no further use and should bow out, retaining the last vestiges of his quickly vanishing dignity, making way for a stronger person to carry the fight to the Maybot.
Jeremy Corbyn had the good grace to put up with him for this long. Watson should return the favour and voluntarily do one.
Wonderful irony in Watson now being the one urged to step down due to him losing the confidence of his peers. Just priceless.
If a proper account of Watson’s actions during the leadership challenge ever comes to light, it’ll finish his career as an MP.
Looking forward to seeing WhatsApp screenshots from that time with chat aliases like FatController, KungfuChipmunk, FragrantPete and Kinnockio.
Reblogged this on dainagregory.
That he’s been more or less invisible against one of the weakest governments in history tells it’s own story.
It’s elementary, watson – your time’s up.
Echo your comment re invisibility which could also easily apply to a whole lot of the PLP STILL invisible now , so where are they , not out helping JC campaign thats for sure
Tom Watson is a backstabbing coward.
Of course he will bail out, he is too gutless to face a direct challenge and knows he will be utterly humiliated by the result.
The real question is who free m the right will enter the fray. Whoever it is will need to be a real sucker for punishment as they too will be routed at the ballot box by the membership.
It’s a lose lose for the right wing Progress MP corporatists.
Happy days!
1. Why spend money on a poll to which the answer is already known? At this stage almost anyone could beat Watson in a deputy leadership contest, Emily will walk all over him.
2. Why are Watson’s allies – what a concept! – raising money when he’s sitting on the £500k Max Mosley gave him?
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/feb/22/tom-watson-given-500k-in-donations-by-max-mosley-in-past-year
Do we know which MPs have backed Emily Thornberry?
Funny old thing but I try to say little for fear of ????? But hey tic tic. Good things come to he who waits.
I’m still not sure what he does as deputy leader
Tom Watson. The Silent Reminder.
Emily T. The Jugular.
J.C. The Judge.
What is wrong with having Two Deputies?
Nothing.
Reblogged this on michaelsnaith.
Pick it in she can do a better job and best of all she’s a socialist
Reblogged this on HUMAN RIGHTS & THE SIEGE OF BRITAIN POLITICAL JOURNAL.
Emily Thornberry is entitled to challenge Watson for the job of deputy leader and I hope she does. If She does run she will do so upfront and with regard to the rules and traditions of the Party. She will not organise a coup behind anyone’s back and she will not carry out a sleazy campaign against anyone like the present incumbent has done on several occasions. If you are an elected member of any kind and at any level in the Labour Party you are entitled to be challenged, it’s called democracy.
Oh #Emily Deputy😙 for sure.
I do not like Watson.
But why are MPs seemingly turning against him?
Please explain.
Thank you.
Emily Thornberry is Capable enough and Proficient enough.
Let her stand.