#TrotskyiteTwist – Tom Watson hits out at John McDonnell – but there’s a flaw in his argument

Last Updated: August 10, 2016By
John McDonnell (left) and Tom Watson [Image: Mark Kerrison/Demotix]

John McDonnell (left) and Tom Watson [Image: Mark Kerrison/Demotix]

As a commentator on Twitter pointed out: “So, Tom Watson attacks members, John McDonnell defends us, Tom Watson attacks McDonnell for defending us.”

And Mr Watson hasn’t executed his attack very well. Perhaps he knows he’s on unstable ground?

His comment, quoted below, was “everyone in our party must be free to express their opinion and be heard respectfully without fear of being shouted down”.

Is it respectful to label new members with the derisory title of “Trots”?

Only a matter of days ago, Labour members were being told to keep their language respectful when referring to fellow members whose opinions were different.

Tom Watson is a member of the Labour Party, isn’t he?

So why does he think this directive isn’t relevant to him?

Getting onto the substantive issue, why hasn’t Mr Watson responded to the claim that he is “peddling baseless conspiracy theories”?

Does he have a scrap of evidence to support his claim of Trotskyite entryists influencing younger members?

If so, let’s see it. If not, let’s have an apology.

A spokesperson for the Labour leader yesterday accused Mr Watson of “patronising members” after the deputy leader told the Guardian “Trotsky entryists” were manipulating younger supporters of the pro-Corbyn Momentum group.

The spokesperson said Mr Watson was “peddling baseless conspiracy theories” and also blamed him for Labour’s decision to appeal a court ruling about the rules of the leadership election.

Mr Watson has now challenged Mr McDonnell, who is chairing Mr Corbyn’s re-election campaign, to distance himself from the incendiary attack.

“John McDonnell has consistently made it clear that everyone in our party must be free to express their opinion and be heard respectfully without fear of being shouted down, which is why I simply don’t believe he approved these intemperate words from Jeremy’s campaign.”

Source: Tom Watson hits out at John McDonnell as ‘Trotskyist’ Labour row rumbles on | PoliticsHome.com

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4 Comments

  1. David Woods August 10, 2016 at 2:53 pm - Reply

    More proof of ‘One rule for us, one for the population’!
    Same old same old.
    This is why most elections counts barely reach 30% of registered voters – we’ve realised its pointless – whichever party is selected you can guarantee they lied throughout the campaign, life will cost ‘you’ more and nothing will change!

    Look at the way they are already dismissive of Democracy, refuse to work with a democratically elected leader, apparently happy to lie to remove him!
    Their attempt to change new Party members privilege of voting in a baseless new ‘Leadership’ election because they’re likely to vote for the new guy!
    Their suspension of a local Party (who also support the elected leader) holding meetings based on an already proven falsehood – brought about by people who hadn’t attended the meeting in question!
    Their ‘apparent’ support to IGNORE a democratically won Reverendum (79% of population voted) to leave the EU because it’s not the result they wanted!

    So are we a Democratic country or aren’t we?

    • Carol Wellwood August 10, 2016 at 7:54 pm - Reply

      we could be a democratic country but only if Corbyn & his party are allowed to fulfil his aim: “what we are doing is opening up and changing politics to bring people in”

  2. mohandeer August 10, 2016 at 9:18 pm - Reply

    “The Telegraph in 2009 reported:

    Tom Watson to resign from Government

    Mr Watson is set to stand down from the Government when Mr Brown’s reshuffle takes place.

    His departure is unexpected and is a further blow to the Prime Minister on a day when it became clear that Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, had told Mr Brown that she also wanted to stand down at the reshuffle.

    Mr Watson was no stranger to controversy. He resigned as a junior defence minister in September 2006 as part of a concerted effort to force Tony Blair from office.

    Mr Blair was furious at Mr Watson’s central role in organising a letter signed by other key allies of Mr Brown demanding Mr Blair indicated when he was going to stand down. Mr Watson achieved that aim and Mr Blair was forced to say he would be gone from Number 10 within a year – opening the way for Mr Brown to take over.

    A former union fixer, Mr Watson was key figure in Mr Brown’s inner circle. But he was dragged into the Damian McBride affair – although he was not copied into the email sent by Mr Brown’s spin doctor.”

    It would seem that Tom Watson is up to his old tricks again, this time he should be asked to resign HIS post after his inflammatory remarks regarding the Labour Party membership.

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