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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/mar/04/tom-watson-mosley-donation-mcdonnell-labour
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Watson should consider returning Mosley donation, McDonnell suggests | Watson should consider returning Mosley donation, McDonnell suggests |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| John McDonnell has suggested that his shadow cabinet colleague, Tom Watson, should consider whether to return half a million pounds in donations from Max Mosley, the disgraced racing tycoon and privacy campaigner. | John McDonnell has suggested that his shadow cabinet colleague, Tom Watson, should consider whether to return half a million pounds in donations from Max Mosley, the disgraced racing tycoon and privacy campaigner. |
| The shadow chancellor told Sky News that Labour’s deputy leader ought to think hard about his “relationship with Max Mosley and the finances as well, because if he is reiterating his views from the past he clearly hasn’t changed”. | The shadow chancellor told Sky News that Labour’s deputy leader ought to think hard about his “relationship with Max Mosley and the finances as well, because if he is reiterating his views from the past he clearly hasn’t changed”. |
| Watson, who is also shadow culture, media and sports secretary, has been under intense pressure over the issue since the Daily Mail uncovered a 1960s leaflet linking immigrants with disease that described the former FIA motorsport boss as its publisher. | Watson, who is also shadow culture, media and sports secretary, has been under intense pressure over the issue since the Daily Mail uncovered a 1960s leaflet linking immigrants with disease that described the former FIA motorsport boss as its publisher. |
| The pamphlet, backing a candidate of the far-right Union Movement, which was founded by Max’s father, Sir Oswald Mosley, claimed that “coloured immigration threatens your children’s health”, listing “tuberculosis, VD and other terrible diseases, such as leprosy”. | The pamphlet, backing a candidate of the far-right Union Movement, which was founded by Max’s father, Sir Oswald Mosley, claimed that “coloured immigration threatens your children’s health”, listing “tuberculosis, VD and other terrible diseases, such as leprosy”. |
| The Labour party made clear that it would not accept any more donations from Mosley since the revelation, but backed its deputy leader’s decision not to return the £540,000 already paid. | The Labour party made clear that it would not accept any more donations from Mosley since the revelation, but backed its deputy leader’s decision not to return the £540,000 already paid. |
| Watson defended the move by claiming that Mosley no longer held the same views that had been expressed 57 years ago, and praised his work campaigning for better regulation of the press, on which the pair have worked closely together. | Watson defended the move by claiming that Mosley no longer held the same views that had been expressed 57 years ago, and praised his work campaigning for better regulation of the press, on which the pair have worked closely together. |
| However, McDonnell took a stronger position when asked about a recent Guardian interview in which Mosley said it was “perfectly legitimate to offer immigrants financial inducements to go home”. | |
| Watson later said: “I have spoken to Max and it could not be any clearer that he categorically does not believe immigrants should be offered financial inducements to leave the UK.” | |
| Asked by Sky News’s Niall Paterson if repeating such a view ought to mean Watson returns the money, McDonnell said: “The money was given to Tom. Tom took that decision. He took that decision on the basis, I believe, that Max Mosley’s views had changed from years ago … | Asked by Sky News’s Niall Paterson if repeating such a view ought to mean Watson returns the money, McDonnell said: “The money was given to Tom. Tom took that decision. He took that decision on the basis, I believe, that Max Mosley’s views had changed from years ago … |
| “Tom will really need to consider seriously exactly that relationship with Max Mosley and the finances as well because if he is reiterating his views from the past, he clearly hasn’t changed.” | “Tom will really need to consider seriously exactly that relationship with Max Mosley and the finances as well because if he is reiterating his views from the past, he clearly hasn’t changed.” |
| The comments come as the former Labour MP, David Winnick, who first became an MP in 1966 before representing Walsall North from 1970 until 2016, argued that Watson ought to return the money. | The comments come as the former Labour MP, David Winnick, who first became an MP in 1966 before representing Walsall North from 1970 until 2016, argued that Watson ought to return the money. |
| He said the Labour party had not known about the leaflet when it accepted donations, but added: “I think it is important to recognise that the money was inherited. It is the same money that Oswald Mosley used for his fascist work. I do look on the Mosley money as being contaminated.” | He said the Labour party had not known about the leaflet when it accepted donations, but added: “I think it is important to recognise that the money was inherited. It is the same money that Oswald Mosley used for his fascist work. I do look on the Mosley money as being contaminated.” |
| In comments to the Guardian, Winnick said that Max Mosley had also failed to distance himself from the actions of his father, unlike his half-brother, Nicholas, who had used a 1971 interview with the Guardian to state: “I see clearly that while the right hand dealt with grandiose ideas and glory, the left hand led the rat out of the sewer.” | In comments to the Guardian, Winnick said that Max Mosley had also failed to distance himself from the actions of his father, unlike his half-brother, Nicholas, who had used a 1971 interview with the Guardian to state: “I see clearly that while the right hand dealt with grandiose ideas and glory, the left hand led the rat out of the sewer.” |
| Winnick said: “[Max Mosley] has not denounced what his father did either before the war, or after the war. When there was no mileage any longer having a go at the Jews, he then turned on the blacks.” | Winnick said: “[Max Mosley] has not denounced what his father did either before the war, or after the war. When there was no mileage any longer having a go at the Jews, he then turned on the blacks.” |
| A spokesman for Watson said: “The Labour party has said it won’t accept any further donations from Max Mosley. Max no longer holds the views he held over half a century ago.” | A spokesman for Watson said: “The Labour party has said it won’t accept any further donations from Max Mosley. Max no longer holds the views he held over half a century ago.” |
| John McDonnell | John McDonnell |
| Tom Watson | Tom Watson |
| Max Mosley | Max Mosley |
| Labour | Labour |
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