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| Labour: Alastair Campbell expulsion 'spiteful', says Tom Watson | Labour: Alastair Campbell expulsion 'spiteful', says Tom Watson |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Labour's decision to expel Alastair Campbell was "spiteful", the party's deputy leader says, arguing it should be "listening rather than punishing". | Labour's decision to expel Alastair Campbell was "spiteful", the party's deputy leader says, arguing it should be "listening rather than punishing". |
| Tony Blair's former spin doctor was kicked out of the party after revealing he had voted for the Liberal Democrats in the European elections. | Tony Blair's former spin doctor was kicked out of the party after revealing he had voted for the Liberal Democrats in the European elections. |
| But Tom Watson called for an "amnesty" for Labour members disillusioned by the party's lack of "clarity" on Brexit. | But Tom Watson called for an "amnesty" for Labour members disillusioned by the party's lack of "clarity" on Brexit. |
| Labour said supporting another party was "incompatible" with membership. | Labour said supporting another party was "incompatible" with membership. |
| A spokeswoman for the party said: "The way Labour Party members vote is a private matter - this is not about voting. | A spokeswoman for the party said: "The way Labour Party members vote is a private matter - this is not about voting. |
| "A member using media appearances to advertise and encourage support for another party is a clear breach of the rules. | "A member using media appearances to advertise and encourage support for another party is a clear breach of the rules. |
| "Helping hardworking Labour MEPs lose their seats is nothing to boast about." | "Helping hardworking Labour MEPs lose their seats is nothing to boast about." |
| 'Disgrace' | 'Disgrace' |
| Mr Watson's comments come after a number of other senior Labour figures also confirmed they had voted for different parties in the European polls. | |
| Former Home Secretary Charles Clarke said he voted Lib Dem, along with ex-MP Fiona Mactaggart, while former Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said he voted Green. | |
| Mr Clarke called Mr Campbell's expulsion "a disgrace [that] only compounds Labour's current political difficulties". | Mr Clarke called Mr Campbell's expulsion "a disgrace [that] only compounds Labour's current political difficulties". |
| Mr Campbell announced over Twitter on Tuesday that he had been expelled from the party, after revealing during the BBC's election night broadcast how he had voted. | Mr Campbell announced over Twitter on Tuesday that he had been expelled from the party, after revealing during the BBC's election night broadcast how he had voted. |
| On the programme, he accused Labour of "letting its own supporters down" in "failing to devise a policy the country could unite around" over Brexit. | On the programme, he accused Labour of "letting its own supporters down" in "failing to devise a policy the country could unite around" over Brexit. |
| Speaking to reporters after his ousting, Mr Campbell - who is a vocal "People's Vote" campaigner for another referendum - claimed members of Jeremy Corbyn's office and front bench had been among those to send "messages of support" after his revelation. | |
| He said he would appeal the decision, adding: "I will always be Labour." | He said he would appeal the decision, adding: "I will always be Labour." |
| Labour's share of the vote fell to 14% in last week's European elections and several senior figures have blamed the party's nuanced position on Brexit. | Labour's share of the vote fell to 14% in last week's European elections and several senior figures have blamed the party's nuanced position on Brexit. |
| Mr Watson, who has also been putting pressure on his leader to back a further referendum, said to be a "broad church", Labour needed "pluralism and tolerance to survive". | Mr Watson, who has also been putting pressure on his leader to back a further referendum, said to be a "broad church", Labour needed "pluralism and tolerance to survive". |
| "It is very clear that many thousands of Labour Party members voted for other parties last week. | "It is very clear that many thousands of Labour Party members voted for other parties last week. |
| "They were disappointed with the position on Brexit [and] they were sending [the] message that our position lacked clarity, and they were right." | "They were disappointed with the position on Brexit [and] they were sending [the] message that our position lacked clarity, and they were right." |
| He added: "It is spiteful to resort to expulsions when [the party] should be listening to members. | He added: "It is spiteful to resort to expulsions when [the party] should be listening to members. |
| "We should be listening to members rather than punishing them." | "We should be listening to members rather than punishing them." |
| 'Higher up the chain' | 'Higher up the chain' |
| Lord Falconer, who served in Mr Blair's government alongside Mr Campbell, accused Mr Corbyn's leadership team of taking the "politically explosive" decision to expel his former colleague. | Lord Falconer, who served in Mr Blair's government alongside Mr Campbell, accused Mr Corbyn's leadership team of taking the "politically explosive" decision to expel his former colleague. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he did not believe Mr Campbell had broken membership rules, but if they had been, "maybe tens of thousands" of members had followed suit. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he did not believe Mr Campbell had broken membership rules, but if they had been, "maybe tens of thousands" of members had followed suit. |
| He said it seemed "absolutely inconceivable that a decision like that would have been taken simply by an official operating a process", adding: "It's bound to have been taken higher up the chain." | He said it seemed "absolutely inconceivable that a decision like that would have been taken simply by an official operating a process", adding: "It's bound to have been taken higher up the chain." |
| Who is Alastair Campbell? | Who is Alastair Campbell? |
| Mr Campbell was a political journalist before coming to prominence in Whitehall as a key member of the Labour PM's staff in 1994. | Mr Campbell was a political journalist before coming to prominence in Whitehall as a key member of the Labour PM's staff in 1994. |
| He served as Mr Blair's chief press secretary until 2000 and was a controversial figure, heavily involved in policy, including over the Iraq War. | He served as Mr Blair's chief press secretary until 2000 and was a controversial figure, heavily involved in policy, including over the Iraq War. |
| Since leaving government, he has opened up about his struggles with depression and alcoholism, and works with a number of charities. | Since leaving government, he has opened up about his struggles with depression and alcoholism, and works with a number of charities. |
| He also campaigns for the People's Vote and is editor-at-large of The New European magazine. | He also campaigns for the People's Vote and is editor-at-large of The New European magazine. |
| Labour MP Dame Louise Ellman questioned why her party was so quick to expel Mr Campbell, but had allowed the "festering" of anti-Semitism - allegations that are now being investigated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. | Labour MP Dame Louise Ellman questioned why her party was so quick to expel Mr Campbell, but had allowed the "festering" of anti-Semitism - allegations that are now being investigated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. |
| The former challenger for the Labour leadership, Owen Smith, also said his party had been "incredibly slow to expel some people who look to me to be prima facie anti-Semites". | The former challenger for the Labour leadership, Owen Smith, also said his party had been "incredibly slow to expel some people who look to me to be prima facie anti-Semites". |
| "They've not been expelled and yet Alistair Campbell, for doing what 20% of Labour voters did last Thursday, has been expelled. Those are double standards and they are completely self-defeating," he said. | "They've not been expelled and yet Alistair Campbell, for doing what 20% of Labour voters did last Thursday, has been expelled. Those are double standards and they are completely self-defeating," he said. |
| 'Personal battles' | 'Personal battles' |
| Others, though, have defended the party for following the rules. | Others, though, have defended the party for following the rules. |
| Clare Short, a former Labour MP who quit Mr Blair's cabinet, said the decision was "nothing special", adding: "If you're in the Brownies and you say I don't think people should join the Brownies, you'll probably be thrown out of the Brownies." | Clare Short, a former Labour MP who quit Mr Blair's cabinet, said the decision was "nothing special", adding: "If you're in the Brownies and you say I don't think people should join the Brownies, you'll probably be thrown out of the Brownies." |
| The UK's longest serving MEP, Labour's David Martin - who lost his seat in this month's elections - said he did not want Mr Campbell thrown out of the party. | The UK's longest serving MEP, Labour's David Martin - who lost his seat in this month's elections - said he did not want Mr Campbell thrown out of the party. |
| But he told BBC News: "I think it is inexcusable for people who have benefitted from the Labour Party over many years to fight their personal battles… on a public stage. | But he told BBC News: "I think it is inexcusable for people who have benefitted from the Labour Party over many years to fight their personal battles… on a public stage. |
| "I want him to become a voice for reform and a voice for a constructive engagement with the European Union, rather than taking the easy choice and saying 'I voted for the Liberals because they wanted a second referendum.'" | "I want him to become a voice for reform and a voice for a constructive engagement with the European Union, rather than taking the easy choice and saying 'I voted for the Liberals because they wanted a second referendum.'" |
| Last week, veteran Conservative and pro-European Lord Heseltine admitted he planned to vote Lib Dem in the election. The party responded by effectively expelling him. | Last week, veteran Conservative and pro-European Lord Heseltine admitted he planned to vote Lib Dem in the election. The party responded by effectively expelling him. |