Colleagues say Watson unfit to be deputy leader
In the run-up to a Labour Shadow Cabinet meeting this month, deputy leader Tom Watson told media that Labour should fully back a new referendum and campaign for remain, even though he admitted that such a move could cost Labour votes. Labour MPs in the party’s northern heartlands calculate that the party would lose forty to fifty seats if it followed his advice.
In the Shadow Cabinet meeting that followed, Shadow Cabinet sources have told the SKWAWKBOX that Watson’s ‘contribution’ to the meeting was to pontificate about the ‘national interest’ – and that when he was challenged he showed what one described as his ‘true colours’. One said:
Jon [Trickett] challenged his ‘national interest’ spiel by pointing out that losing seats would harm Labour’s chance of forming the next government and that this was clearly the real national interest.
Tom interrupted him, saying “Is that the best you can do? Jon, do you really believe that?”
Another Labour source commented:
How the hell is Tom fit to be deputy leader and how can we trust his motives in anything he says or does if he doesn’t even want a Labour government?
Jon Trickett declined to comment on the exchange. Tom Watson was contacted for comment but did not respond by the time of publication.
SKWAWKBOX view:
It will be no secret to regular readers that the SKWAWKBOX considers Tom Watson unfit to be a Labour MP, let alone deputy leader of the party – and that if the deeply divisive MP claims to speak on behalf of members he should immediately prove his mandate by calling a contest for his position. That he refuses in spite of a huge majority wanting such a contest has already demonstrated that he does not have the interests of the members at heart, nor believe they will back him.
But for a deputy leader of Labour to question whether Labour government is best for the country is proof positive that Watson has no place in any position. There are millions in this country who have already suffered far too long under the burden of Tory policies and cruelty – and no MP should be blocking a seat who does not believe that the urgent need of those people for relief from Tory government outranks any other priority.
Any journalist worthy of the name should be challenging Watson on his motives every time he opens his mouth from now on. It is a tragic indictment of the parlous state of so-called ‘mainstream’ journalism in this country that it will not happen.
He has to go.
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