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| Tom Watson defends actions over Lord Brittan allegations | Tom Watson defends actions over Lord Brittan allegations |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has insisted he had a "duty" to inform police of sex abuse allegations against former Home Secretary Leon Brittan. | Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has insisted he had a "duty" to inform police of sex abuse allegations against former Home Secretary Leon Brittan. |
| Mr Watson has faced calls to apologise, from Lord Brittan's brother Sir Samuel Brittan, over "unfounded accusations" after police dropped a rape inquiry. | Mr Watson has faced calls to apologise, from Lord Brittan's brother Sir Samuel Brittan, over "unfounded accusations" after police dropped a rape inquiry. |
| Mr Watson said he was sorry for distress caused to the Brittan family. | Mr Watson said he was sorry for distress caused to the Brittan family. |
| But, in a blog for The Huffington Post, the MP said he had wanted the claims "properly investigated". | But, in a blog for The Huffington Post, the MP said he had wanted the claims "properly investigated". |
| Lord Brittan, whose career included two years as home secretary in Margaret Thatcher's government, died in January aged 75. | |
| He had not been told there was no case for him to answer over an alleged rape in 1967. | He had not been told there was no case for him to answer over an alleged rape in 1967. |
| Sir Samuel said Mr Watson "should apologise to my sister-in-law [Lady Brittan] for making unfounded accusations against my brother". | Sir Samuel said Mr Watson "should apologise to my sister-in-law [Lady Brittan] for making unfounded accusations against my brother". |
| 'Multiple allegations' | 'Multiple allegations' |
| Responding, Mr Watson admitted he should not have repeated a claim that Lord Brittan was "close to evil". | Responding, Mr Watson admitted he should not have repeated a claim that Lord Brittan was "close to evil". |
| He added: "I have said in the past that I am sorry for the distress Leon Brittan's family experienced as they grieved for him. I still am." | He added: "I have said in the past that I am sorry for the distress Leon Brittan's family experienced as they grieved for him. I still am." |
| But he said he had been told of "multiple allegations". | But he said he had been told of "multiple allegations". |
| He admitted he "did not and could not know if they were true" but said he thought they should be "fully investigated". | He admitted he "did not and could not know if they were true" but said he thought they should be "fully investigated". |
| "As the tributes flowed in from his lifelong friends, I felt for those people who claimed he abused them," he said. | "As the tributes flowed in from his lifelong friends, I felt for those people who claimed he abused them," he said. |
| "The choice facing anyone who is presented with testimony of this kind is whether to pass it on to the authorities and urge them to investigate or to ignore it. | "The choice facing anyone who is presented with testimony of this kind is whether to pass it on to the authorities and urge them to investigate or to ignore it. |
| "I chose the first option. I felt it was my duty to do so." | "I chose the first option. I felt it was my duty to do so." |
| The Crown Prosecution Service found in July 2013 that there was not enough evidence for a prosecution over the claim Lord Brittan had raped a 19-year-old female student in 1967. | The Crown Prosecution Service found in July 2013 that there was not enough evidence for a prosecution over the claim Lord Brittan had raped a 19-year-old female student in 1967. |
| Mr Watson later called for a full review of all abuse allegations made against the peer. | Mr Watson later called for a full review of all abuse allegations made against the peer. |
| Officers subsequently interviewed Lord Brittan, who had terminal cancer at the time, but no charges were brought. | Officers subsequently interviewed Lord Brittan, who had terminal cancer at the time, but no charges were brought. |
| Police have since said they would not have taken further action over the rape claim. | Police have since said they would not have taken further action over the rape claim. |
| London Mayor Boris Johnson has discussed the case with Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Met commissioner. | London Mayor Boris Johnson has discussed the case with Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Met commissioner. |
| Mr Johnson regards the delay in contacting Lord Brittan as "completely unacceptable". | Mr Johnson regards the delay in contacting Lord Brittan as "completely unacceptable". |
| 'Vilest accusations' | 'Vilest accusations' |
| Tory MP Nigel Evans, himself cleared of sexual abuse, earlier told the BBC that Mr Watson had "set himself up as judge and jury". | Tory MP Nigel Evans, himself cleared of sexual abuse, earlier told the BBC that Mr Watson had "set himself up as judge and jury". |
| "Even when Leon had died, Tom Watson decided to repeat the allegations," Mr Evans said. "It is totally unfounded." | "Even when Leon had died, Tom Watson decided to repeat the allegations," Mr Evans said. "It is totally unfounded." |
| Former Chancellor Norman Lamont said police investigations into historical abuse risked becoming a "witch-hunt". | Former Chancellor Norman Lamont said police investigations into historical abuse risked becoming a "witch-hunt". |
| Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said: "I visited Lord Brittan several times in his last days and saw the suffering of a man under the shadow of the vilest accusations. This was an extremely painful time for his wife." | Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said: "I visited Lord Brittan several times in his last days and saw the suffering of a man under the shadow of the vilest accusations. This was an extremely painful time for his wife." |
| Earlier this week, a vulnerable man who made sex abuse allegations against high-profile figures, including Lord Brittan, told the BBC he may have been led into making the claims by campaigners. | Earlier this week, a vulnerable man who made sex abuse allegations against high-profile figures, including Lord Brittan, told the BBC he may have been led into making the claims by campaigners. |