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Watson slated by colleagues for shirking ShadCab meeting to smear Lavery

Senior Labour MPs attack Tom Watson’s record of non-attendance and wilfully igorant smear on Lavery’s honour
Ian Lavery and Tom Watson (inset)

Senior Labour MPs have slated the party’s deputy leader Tom Watson for dodging an important meeting of the Shadow Cabinet to appear on media attacking Ian Lavery and pushing a position on Brexit contrary to Labour’s policy – and have accused him of laziness in failing to attend key meetings.

One senior MP told the SKWAWKBOX:

While the Shadow Cabinet met to discuss the critically important issue of climate change, Watson – who rarely bothers to attend Shadow Cabinet – was on a tour of media studios attacking Ian (Lavery) to push a policy that hasn’t been officially determined yet. He even went as far as questioning Ian’s honour – and Ian is one of the most honourable people you’ll meet. But what would Tom know about honour?

Another said:

This is just typical of Tom, he’s well known to be lazy when it comes to anything worth doing. Just look at the number of things he announces and then never does anything with. It’s not just Shadow Cabinet either, he rarely shows his face at PLP (weekly parliamentary Labour party meetings).

Tom Watson was contacted for comment but did not respond.

SKWAWKBOX view:

Watson told LBC yesterday that breaking the party whip as a front-bencher is a matter of honour that would usually lead to resignation, pointing the finger at Lavery’s decision to vote against a parliamentary motion for a new referendum.

However – as is well known – Lavery did offer his resignation to Jeremy Corbyn, who refused it because of Lavery’s huge value to the cause. Watson will have been well aware of this fact – if he wasn’t, then he adds incompetence to his list of wrongs as deputy leader.

By contrast Tom Watson’s interventions have been so uniformly damaging to the party that he seems to have never knowingly made a statement helpful to Labour’s leadership.

If he wants to talk about honour, he should try offering his resignation to Corbyn and see whether the reaction is the same. Labour members might then at last get the opportunity he has long denied them to deliver their verdict on Watson’s honour and his version of deputy ‘leadership’, via a new election.

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61 comments

  1. Yet another transgression.

    And once again, nothing will be done by the heirarchy or disciplinary body, leaving fatboy slime to continue on his merry ruinous way.

  2. If all the criticisms of Watson are true (and I can well imagine
    they are ), why the hell is he still deputy Leader.
    There are a number of candidates for this position, any of which would do a far better job than Watson does.

    1. Because, Peter, the hierarchy are gutless and clueless bastards who believe that sacking/disciplining watson into making his position untenable will give off an air of disunity, as they foolishly think the nation perceives the party to be united (or at least more united than the toerags).

      Rather they got shut by whatever means and have it all blow over before the toerags get a new leader to rally around than endure this shit show right the way up to polling day.

    2. Peter berry you are just as exasperated as all of us,it seems their are not enough loyal mps to back a candidate u challenge Watson’s treacherous deputy leadership..The worry for all of us party members must be are we pi55ing in the wind regarding the loyalty of the number of true socialist mps. Are we still a minority in the Labour party membership?. Something stinks and the silence is deafening.!

  3. I give up. Yet more backstabbing from Twatson. The leadership is so wishy-washy and weak that he only suspends people that the Blairites demand be suspended, like Chris Williamson was. Best ally Corbyn had. Perhaps the tories ARE right, and Corbyn is NOT fit to be a prime minister?

  4. A socialist government will be under constant attack by the most powerful forces in society, the owners of capital and their allies who control the world. A Party which cannot even defend Jackie Walker and Chris Williamson against the Israeli Embassy is unlikely to be capable of defending the working class against international finance and imperialism.
    Jeremy Corbyn and his allies are not merely committing suicide by, for example, agreeing to the current definition of anti-semitism, they are taking the people of Palestine and all of us with them. Fight back, stick to principles, tell the truth!

  5. You cannot stand up straight without a back bone. Blairites like Watson now want to force out Socialists who voted Brexit. If you want to follow Tim Farron’s Proposal you know where your natural home is, eh’ Chukka!

  6. Sorry, guys, but none of you realize the leadership’s strategy here. Better to have your enemies inside the tent than outside.

    Yes, there will come a day when somebody challenges him, no doubt, but you might also consider that the more public Tom is with his opinons, the more likely the likes of Laura K will take him to the cleaners in public, because his lack of guiding principles is so clearly visible plus the less he can be plotting in private when he’s stirring in public.

    And, yes, I voted for him, like most of us did & would welcome the chance to vote for the apposite replacement!

    1. Signor having Watson inside the tent you say is better?.Its not just Watson’s treacherous behaviour is it.We have a whole nest of paid and organized vipers to deal with inside the tent and we are in danger of seeing socialism wiped out inside of our party.We look incapable of raising enough supporters amongst the PLPfor a loyal mp to challenge Watson’s deputy leadership. ..We need to stop Watson being a rallying point for disaffected mps,He has to GO and soon.!

    2. Sometimes it’s better to get the person out and though they still can be a wrecking ball, they’re wrecking someone elders house instead of yours.

  7. ”Better to have your enemies inside the tent than outside.”

    Mais oui!! But of course it’s better to have your 2nd in command flinging shit all over the show with everythng & everybody within reach, rather than as far back on the back benches where the shit disintegrates well before reaching the front line.

    It’s not is if he’s a master of subterfuge ffs – the narcissist’s never off social media – nevermind mainstream – enthralling everybody with his latest wheeze(s).

    He’s gotta go….along with many others

    1. “He’s gotta go….along with many others”

      Yeh, sure – winning elections is such a distraction from the pursuit of ideological purity.

      The column inches devoted to Watson as the Tories indulge themselves is a shit-fest of its own.

      1. Yes like your never-ending obsession with brexit.The principal is more important than short term gain!Survival of socialism is more important than brexit, GETIt

      2. ”Yeh, sure – winning elections is such a distraction from the pursuit of ideological purity.”

        And what election has watson won, do remind us?

        Oh yeah, that’s right…

      3. The Toffee (597) 20/06/2019 at 3:43 pm · ·

        “And what election has Watson won, do remind us?”

        Oh please do try and keep up with the conversation. Tom Watson won the election to become Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in 2015.

      4. SteveH 20/06/2019 at 4:02 pm · ·
        The Toffee (597) 20/06/2019 at 3:43 pm · ·

        “And what election has Watson won, do remind us?”

        Oh please do try and keep up with the conversation. Tom Watson won the election to become Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in 2015.

        If you persist in playing the idiot, expect to be spoken to like one.

        NGAF about his personal victories. The overwhelming consensus is that the prick will cost the party a general election the way he’s carrying on

      5. The Toffee (597) 20/06/2019 at 4:10 pm

        Tom Watson has won exactly the same number of General Elections as JC (since 2001) so it is difficult to know what answer you were seeking in your OP. Perhaps you should try being a little more precise when you ask questions.

  8. BREAKING NEWS
    Jeremy Corbyn confirmed at the special Brexit meeting of the shadow cabinet today that Labour is now committed to a public vote on any Brexit deal – but not to supporting Remain.

      1. Joseph OKEEFE at 11:37pm

        You know that’s not true! Why push the opposition propaganda?

        The direct quotes from JC which make up the majority of the article I linked to confirm that the editorial content of the article is true.

  9. How many members of the PLP have to agree, though, to take a challenger to Watson to a member’s vote – which I’m sure he’d lose btw.

    I’m also pretty sure he’d lose a vote if his CLP were able to make it’s own selection on its PLP for thè GE. I hope they get that opportunity.

    Both scenarios come down to the Rule Book, not Jeremy Corbyn.

  10. My reading of the statement is that Labour intends to call for a public vote whatever the deal – which obviously includes no deal – but that the leadership won’t campaign.

    Is that everyone else’s reading of it?

    1. David McNiven 19/06/2019 at 6:44 pm

      Mine too – Now we just need to wait and see what conference decides

  11. What’s the record of Party loyalty on whipped votes on Brexit vis-a-vis Watson and Laverty? I haven’t checked that indicator.

    Just pondering. Facts ‘n that.

    1. Sewing seeds of discontent whilst stirring the pot! Very sad what’s the pay like for trolling RH?

      1. Joseph OKEEFE at 11:52 pm

        You’re the Troll for Reverse Trolling.

      2. Interesting. Asking a straight question is ‘trolling’ – such is the fantasy. And ‘paid’? Do hold hands with someone and try to get in touch with the living.

        I’m just not in the Boris Johnson and ERG fan-club. Nor do I pay my subs to the Church of TrueBLeavers. Just one of the many, not the few.

  12. Thing is, Watson does have his fans, including most of the trolls here. I reckon the party is giving him enough rope to hang himself come conference. By then, he’ll have managed to upset pretty much everybody.
    Plus the last thing we need is the distraction of evicting him now.

    1. Again – delerious fiction. You’ll find that all the representatives of the majority that post here – the Remainers – have been consistently critical of Watson. We just don’t get obsessional, and are more interested in how the decline of Labour fortunes might be reversed than simply self-pleasuring.

  13. I find it odd that it’s open season on Tom Watson our elected Deputy Leader (much as I wish he wasn’t) but Luciana Berger who deserted the party and betrayed all the Labour voters in her constituency gets a free pass.

      1. Joseph OKEEFE at 11:42 pm

        If Chukka had also been given a free ride then you might just have had a case, but he hasn’t.

  14. Yes SH cos you want Labour members to pile in on an irrelevant whilst the theme of this post is on a nonentitity and an intellectual lightweight.
    Left wing democratic socialists will win on ideas whilst the crumbs for working people and comfortable lives for themselves brigade resort to prodedural methods and the dark arts which illustrates they are desperate and losing plus they fail to recognise that history has passed them by.

    1. Bazza 19/06/2019 at 10:38 pm

      “Yes SH cos you want Labour members to pile in on an irrelevant whilst the theme of this post is on a nonentitity and an intellectual lightweight.”

      This seems more than a little confused and self-contradictory.

      I have no wish whatsoever for anyone to ‘pile in’. On the contrary I have made my views on ‘bullying’ quite clear

      1. See steve? Even one of the most mild-mannered posters on here has been compelled into calling you and your tactics out.

        ‘Disingenous crap’ is a favourite one of your accusations…

        And you know full well why Skwawky doesnt do comments on articles where the antisemitism card can be played.

      2. The Toffee (597) 20/06/2019 at 4:03 pm · ·

        To the best of my knowledge this is only the second time the phrase ‘disingenuous crap’ has appeared in any of my comments on this site

        Your description of it being one of my favourites is as accurate as the majority of your posts. You are welcome to try and prove otherwise.

      3. Oh, only twice, was it? Kept count and note of every post you’ve ever made, eh? So what? You accuse others of it and complain about it, but do so yourself.

        Nevertheless, you’ve once again swerved the main issue. You know full well skwawky doesn’t do comments where the site can be potentially open to accusations of antisemitism.

        You’re nothing but a shithouse steve. More & more people are getting wise to youand your shithouse diversion and obfuscation tactics.

        Even the ones that ordinarily wouldn’t (and don’t) do so, are calling you out for what you are and the tactics you employ, albeit far more subtlely than I ever will.

      4. The Toffee (597) 20/06/2019 at 4:48 pm

        Oh, only twice, was it? Kept count and note of every post you’ve ever made, eh? So what?

        I feel sorry for you it must be embarrassing for you to have to, yet again, admit that what you said was false.

        You accuse others of it and complain about it, but do so yourself.

        What are you blathering on about?

      5. Prove you’ve only said that twice….You make that claim, I don’t. It’s on you to do so, not me.

        And still you’re swerving the point you were complaining about.

        I’ll remind you – so you will hopefully get back to it (Don’t anyone hold their breath waiting for a coherent answer)

        Berger and umunna….remember? You really should, you brought it up nd now swerve it when fronted with it.

        Obfuscation at it’s most desperate. Poor show, shithouse.

      6. The Toffee (597) 20/06/2019 at 5:46 pm

        Prove you’ve only said that twice….You make that claim, I don’t. It’s on you to do so, not me.

        FFS are you really that dumb?

        As for me commenting on the difference between the treatment of Chukka and Luciana on this site I was simply seeking to highlight that it is ridiculous that ‘we’ are so scared of JLM.

      7. The Toffee (597) 20/06/2019 at 5:53 pm

        Admit I was wrong – FUCKING L>O>L

        Twice – or even two thousnd times….I’m saying it’s a favourite of yours to call ‘disingenuous crap’ , lad. And NGAF how many times you’ve said it – but if you say two it’s not automatically on me to prove it, you clown.”

        Oh my goodness – You really are that dumb, aren’t you.

      8. Admit I was wrong – FUCKING L>O>L

        Twice – or even two thousnd times….I’m saying it’s a favourite of yours to call ‘disingenuous crap’ , lad. And NGAF how many times you’ve said it – but if you say two it’s not automatically on me to prove it, you clown.

      9. As for me commenting on the difference between the treatment of Chukka and Luciana on this site I was simply seeking to highlight that it is ridiculous that ‘we’ are so scared of JLM.

        And there it is folks – after two hours and being pressed incessantly, this is the best steve h can come up with.

        Yes – this is from the beaut who calls ‘disingenuous crap’ on everything and anything anti 2nd ref, or anything that leads to the conclusion that the UK IS leaving

      10. Steve, just face it – We all know what you’re about. Posters & visitors both seasoned and new to here are wise to you.

      11. The Toffee (597) 20/06/2019 at 5:46 pm

        “Prove you’ve only said that twice….You make that claim, I don’t. It’s on you to do so, not me.”

        I have done that already. The absence of this phrase from any of my other comments is all the proof there is and it is all the proof I need.

      12. Oh, the penny drops – silly me!

        So, because YOU say you’ve only wrote it twice, that makes it gospel. D’oh wish I’d thought of that earlier instead of being told I somehow had to prove otherwise.

        How fucking pathetic. I say you calling ‘disingenuous crap’ on people is a favourite tactic of yours.

        You say you’ve only said it twice and weirdly demand I prove you’ve said it more because you’ve taken ‘disningenuous crap’ quite literally as opposed to other sayings with the same meaning.

        Not only are you an entitled little prick, a troll and a shithouse, you’re also a massive pedant. And worst of all, you’re far too dense to even be ashmed about it when it’s spelled out for you again.

      13. The Toffee (597) 20/06/2019 at 6:57 pm

        Instead of pretending to have yet another toddler tantrum to distract from your own ineptitude why don’t you detail precisely what evidence would satisfy your weird obsession.

      14. Toffee

        For someone who’s been ranting on at me for several hours about the same nonsense it is taking you an inordinate amount of time to come up with a detailed description of the evidence that you are demanding from me to satisfy this weird obsession of yours.

        Or should everyone just conclude that you were trolling again.

  15. Correct bazza,these trolls on here,do they need a licence for the propaganda they peddle?

    1. Joseph OKEEFE 19/06/2019 at 11:46 pm

      It is a sign of desperation and the lack of a cogent argument when you have to resort to un-evidenced proclamations of propaganda.

      Can you please explain how linking to and quoting from an article that consists mainly of direct quotes from Corbyn is propaganda.

      I await your reply with interest.

      1. ” a sign of desperation and the lack of a cogent argument”

        Basically – it’s all that’s left to the Toytown faction, now that any case for TrueBLeaving has been destroyed by the passage of time and the unfolding of reality.

  16. I am not sure but isn’t it up to the members to get rid of him and not the leadership I might be mistaken but the conference might just deal with him .

    1. poppy 20/06/2019 at 7:55 am

      Hi Poppy – There is only one way of forcing Tom Watson out of his elected office of Deputy Leader and the procedure is clearly laid out in the Labour Party’s Rule Book.

      Chapter 4, Clause II
      2. Election of leader and deputy leader
      A. The leader and deputy leader shall be elected separately in accordance with rule C below, unless rule E below applies.
      B. Nomination
      i. In the case of a vacancy for leader or deputy leader, each nomination must be supported by 10 per cent of the combined Commons members of the PLP and members of the EPLP and either:
      a) 5 per cent of CLPs; or
      b) At least 3 affiliates (at least 2 of which shall be trade union affiliates) compromising 5 per cent of affiliated membership. Nominations not attaining the thresholds under either a or b above shall be null and void.
      ii. Where there is no vacancy, nominations may be sought by potential challengers each year prior to the annual session of Party conference. In this case any nomination must be supported by 20 per cent of the combined Commons members of the PLP and members of the EPLP. Nominations not attaining this threshold shall be null and void. The sitting Leader or Deputy Leader shall not be required to seek nominations in the event of a challenge under this rule.

  17. SH and RH (probably the same person) want you to engage and thus perpetuate the anti-semetic narrative because they are enemies of Labour.
    Just scroll down when you see their/his (it will be a male) monikers.
    Don’t engage – let the Right Wing Barbarian/s quietly fade into political oblivion.

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