Labour members are calling ‘time’ on Tom Watson
On his way out: Tom Watson.
When will backwards Blairite Tom Watson be ousted from his undeserved position as deputy leader of Labour? Sooner, rather than later, if party members have their way.
A model motion is set to sweep Constituency Labour Parties, demanding Mr Watson’s removal. The wording – calling for him to resign or submit himself for re-election – has been published by Skwawkbox.
It lists as reasons Mr Watson’s attempt to get MPs who raise complaints about anti-Semitism to forward them to him in flagrant disregard for data protection laws, and his decision to set up a group of Labour MPs to undermine the policies of party leader Jeremy Corbyn and the shadow cabinet.
But these are just two incidents among many.
Members are also likely to be incensed by his speech at the “Put It To The People” march on Saturday (March 23), when he said he would support Theresa May’s dire Brexit deal if she agreed to a new referendum – a pledge that follows a commitment from Mr Watson that it was his job to prevent the Conservative government from falling (as deputy leader of the Opposition, it is his job to remove the Conservatives from government and prevent them from ever returning).
And what about his bizarre behaviour at meetings of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee, at which he delayed and disrupted proceedings by refusing to hand in his mobile phone in accordance with anti-leak procedures, claiming he needed it because he needed to be informed of developments around Brexit?
He filibustered the same meeting with points of procedure that delayed matters by 90 minutes, according to other NEC members – and then complained that it did not discuss the suspension of his personal friend Steve Eling, whose party membership was suspended in January.
And he attacked the procedures that allowed Derek Hatton back into the party, then suspended his membership over a tweet from 2012 in which Mr Hatton called on Jews across the world to criticise Israel.
Details of that meeting are available here and here.
Mr Watson’s main duty is to ensure that the Labour Party is able to win a general election but his behaviour since he was elected in 2015 has consistently undermined the party and its leadership.
He is worse than a liability – he is an enemy.
No wonder CLPs across the country are voting in support of his democratic removal.
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Tom Watson turned up for the People on Saturday, so Labour are still in with a chance of getting my vote. Internal squabbles about Labour Party procedure are of no consequence when weighed against this fact. The fact that Labour are perceived as a worse electoral prospect than the worst government in living memory ought to make the Party recognise that they are in political crisis of their own making.
I have read your insightful blog for some time and I mostly agree with what you say, but on this topic you seem to be part of a problem that might allow the Tories carry on with their devastion after the next General Election.
As far as Labour is concerned, Tom Watson is part of the problem, not the solution. If Labour has any crisis to handle, it is the propaganda war against the party, being waged by opponents of its current direction including Tom Watson. What do you think would happen if Labour won an election under the leadership of this man, or people like him? You’d have a watered-down version of Tory leadership – more privatisation, more ownership of public services by foreign corporations (probably owned by their governments), the continued privatisation of the NHS, the continued deaths of thousands upon thousands of sick and disabled people who have been forced to try to claim state benefits.
Do you want that on your conscience?
With Corbyn I get a watered down Tory Brexit that threatens everything that you list. It seems to me both these Labour people are following a Tory narrative which they should be Opposing.
Are you sure you’re not thinking that any Brexit will be a Tory Brexit?
If we get another election, I think Labour should make the point that all the problems have been caused by a failure to nail down exactly what people want. A genuine offer to sort out exactly what the electorate really wants might go a long way to solving this.
The current Brexit is absolutely a Tory Brexit. They called it, led both sides of the campaign, served Article 50 and have brought us to where we are today. Any Brexit now will be a Tory Brexit and anyone who is helping them now is helping the Tories in a similar way to the LibDems during the coalition. They risk being blamed in the same way.
At some future point people on the Left could revisit the Brexit idea, initiate a campaign, explain their idea and drum up support. I agree that our ‘democracy’ repeatedly fails to nail down exactly what people want and Labour could indicate that it wants to improve democracy in this country. It’s another open goal for Labour.
Yes, get rid of this shifty looking traitor asap . . .
About bloody time the man’s a disgrace
We must get shot of Tom Watson and all his ilk who are traitors . The Blairites are not welcome in the Labour Party any more
Uhm the Bookies have JC as peoples favourite for PM !