Tom Watson wants to change Labour Party rules so MPs regain control over who gets to be leader. Should he be allowed to do this? [Image: Getty.]

Mr Watson seems to think it is a good idea to change the leadership election system back from ‘one member, one vote’ to the old ‘electoral college’ scheme in which MPs, unions and the membership had one-third of the votes each.

But here’s the thing: Ed Miliband only changed to ‘one member, one vote’ in an attempt to mollify MPs who had complained that he had only been elected leader because the trade unions had too large a say.

Now we’re being told MPs want to change the system back because the members have too large a say?

There’s only one conclusion to be had: MPs want their say to be the only one that matters.

That’s not going to happen. The Parliamentary Labour Party thought Labour’s wider membership was far more right-wing than it turned out to be – they were out of touch; that’s why Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader last year and why it is likely he’ll be re-elected this year with a stronger mandate.

The last thing any self-respecting Labour member is going to do, now that they have a leader who’s saying things they want to hear, is give power back to the people who want to get rid of him.

Even if Mr Watson succeeds in persuading a National Executive Committee whose members are retiring immediately after they meet this month, the wider membership will simply have the decision reversed.

It is undemocratic. And those responsible – including Mr Watson – will have to face the consequences of their actions.

Tom Watson is preparing a dramatic bid to strip Jeremy Corbyn of his power base by changing how Labour elects its leaders.

Mr Watson is set to table an overhaul of Labour Party rules at the national executive committee (NEC) meeting this month, the Mirror understands.

The Deputy Leader wants to scrap the ‘one member one vote’ system used for electing Labour leaders, and restore the old ‘electoral college’ which gave an equal say to party members, trade unions and Labour MPs.

His package of reforms would also restore shadow cabinet elections, stripping further power from the hands of Mr Corbyn.

Source: Tom Watson ready to tear up Labour rules that helped get Jeremy Corbyn elected – Mirror Online

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