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| Tom Watson has questions to answer in Lord Brittan case, PM says | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has "questions to answer" over his comments about sex abuse allegations against former Home Secretary Leon Brittan, David Cameron has said. | |
| The prime minister said Mr Watson should "examine his conscience" after Lord Brittan's brother called for an apology over "unfounded accusations". | The prime minister said Mr Watson should "examine his conscience" after Lord Brittan's brother called for an apology over "unfounded accusations". |
| Mr Watson said on Friday he had had a "duty" to inform police of the claims. | |
| Lord Brittan died in January unaware that police had dropped a rape inquiry. | Lord Brittan died in January unaware that police had dropped a rape inquiry. |
| The BBC understands that four Conservative MPs have asked Home Affairs Select Committee chairman Keith Vaz to put Mr Watson's actions on the agenda when it meets on Tuesday. | |
| Mr Cameron told LBC radio: "The House of Commons select committees are quite rightly going to ask him some questions so I'm sure he should answer those questions and examine his conscience about whether he's said enough so far." | Mr Cameron told LBC radio: "The House of Commons select committees are quite rightly going to ask him some questions so I'm sure he should answer those questions and examine his conscience about whether he's said enough so far." |
| 'Sorry for distress' | |
| On Friday Mr Watson admitted he should not have repeated a claim that Lord Brittan was "close to evil" and said he was sorry for causing distress to the Brittan family. | |
| But the MP said he had wanted the claims against Lord Brittan, whose career included two years as home secretary in Margaret Thatcher's government, "properly investigated". | |
| 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. | |
| 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. |