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| Labour's deputy Tom Watson condemns bid to oust him | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Labour's Tom Watson has said the bid to oust him as deputy leader by abolishing his post is a "sectarian attack" on the party's "broad church". | Labour's Tom Watson has said the bid to oust him as deputy leader by abolishing his post is a "sectarian attack" on the party's "broad church". |
| He told the BBC he found out late on Friday in a text message that a motion had been tabled by Jon Lansman, founder of Labour grassroots group Momentum. | He told the BBC he found out late on Friday in a text message that a motion had been tabled by Jon Lansman, founder of Labour grassroots group Momentum. |
| Members had voted him in and should be able to vote him out, he said. | Members had voted him in and should be able to vote him out, he said. |
| Mr Watson has been at odds with leader Jeremy Corbyn over the party's stance on Brexit but said he had to speak out. | Mr Watson has been at odds with leader Jeremy Corbyn over the party's stance on Brexit but said he had to speak out. |
| An initial move to oust him was made at a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) on Friday but it failed to get the two-thirds majority needed. | An initial move to oust him was made at a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) on Friday but it failed to get the two-thirds majority needed. |
| A further attempt is set to be made on Saturday at the party's conference in Brighton. | A further attempt is set to be made on Saturday at the party's conference in Brighton. |
| Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Watson said he found out about the move while having a meal at a Chinese restaurant in Manchester on Friday night. | Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Watson said he found out about the move while having a meal at a Chinese restaurant in Manchester on Friday night. |
| He said: "It's a straight sectarian attack on a broad church party. | He said: "It's a straight sectarian attack on a broad church party. |
| "It's moving us into a different kind of institution where pluralism isn't tolerated. Where factional observance has to be adhered to completely. | "It's moving us into a different kind of institution where pluralism isn't tolerated. Where factional observance has to be adhered to completely. |
| "And it completely goes against the sort of traditions that the Labour Party has had for 100 years." | "And it completely goes against the sort of traditions that the Labour Party has had for 100 years." |
| He added that he felt that Mr Lansman "and his faction" were so angry about his position on Brexit they would "rather abolish me than have a debate about it". | He added that he felt that Mr Lansman "and his faction" were so angry about his position on Brexit they would "rather abolish me than have a debate about it". |
| He appealed to Momentum activists to focus on showing people they were serious about changing the political economy of Britain rather than having "a sort of sleight-of-hand constitutional change to do a drive-by shooting of someone you disagree with". | He appealed to Momentum activists to focus on showing people they were serious about changing the political economy of Britain rather than having "a sort of sleight-of-hand constitutional change to do a drive-by shooting of someone you disagree with". |
| The Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), which represents Labour backbenchers, has written a letter to members of the National Executive Committee - including Jeremy Corbyn - saying the move is counterproductive and sends the country a message "we are more interested in internal battles" than constituents' lives. | |
| Former Labour prime minister Tony Blair said abolishing the deputy leader post would be "undemocratic and politically dangerous". | |
| 'Outdated rulebook' | |
| Asked if he thought the move had been made by Mr Corbyn himself, Mr Watson said "I don't know", but added his leader had the power to stop it. | Asked if he thought the move had been made by Mr Corbyn himself, Mr Watson said "I don't know", but added his leader had the power to stop it. |
| He defended his role, saying he had been elected by party members and they could trigger an election themselves if they wanted to remove him rather than making a secret move at a last-minute meeting. | He defended his role, saying he had been elected by party members and they could trigger an election themselves if they wanted to remove him rather than making a secret move at a last-minute meeting. |
| "These kinds of things happen in Venezuela, they shouldn't be happening in the United Kingdom," he said. | "These kinds of things happen in Venezuela, they shouldn't be happening in the United Kingdom," he said. |
| Mr Watson has urged Labour to "unequivocally back remain" and had said he wants another public vote on the UK's membership of the EU before any general election. | Mr Watson has urged Labour to "unequivocally back remain" and had said he wants another public vote on the UK's membership of the EU before any general election. |
| But Mr Corbyn wants to hold another referendum once Labour has won power, in which voters would have the choice to remain in the EU alongside a "credible" Leave proposal. | But Mr Corbyn wants to hold another referendum once Labour has won power, in which voters would have the choice to remain in the EU alongside a "credible" Leave proposal. |
| A Momentum source told the BBC: "We just can't afford to go into an election with a deputy leader set on wrecking Labour's chances. | A Momentum source told the BBC: "We just can't afford to go into an election with a deputy leader set on wrecking Labour's chances. |
| "Labour members overwhelmingly want a deputy leadership election, but our outdated rulebook won't let it happen." | "Labour members overwhelmingly want a deputy leadership election, but our outdated rulebook won't let it happen." |
| Dawn Butler, shadow women and equalities secretary, said Momentum's move had "come out of the blue" but she could understand the frustration with the deputy leader. | Dawn Butler, shadow women and equalities secretary, said Momentum's move had "come out of the blue" but she could understand the frustration with the deputy leader. |
| Asked if Mr Watson was doing the job well, she said: "I have my frustrations with Tom too. I haven't seen him at a shadow cabinet meeting for a while." | Asked if Mr Watson was doing the job well, she said: "I have my frustrations with Tom too. I haven't seen him at a shadow cabinet meeting for a while." |
| The NEC, Labour's governing body, is set to vote again on abolishing Mr Watson's post at the party's annual conference at 10:00 BST on Saturday. | The NEC, Labour's governing body, is set to vote again on abolishing Mr Watson's post at the party's annual conference at 10:00 BST on Saturday. |
| There will then be a vote on the conference floor in the afternoon, where the bid could be approved, ousting Mr Watson. | There will then be a vote on the conference floor in the afternoon, where the bid could be approved, ousting Mr Watson. |
| BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says Momentum's move "was not discussed" among its governing body - adding there was "anger" at Mr Lansman as this was "not an official decision". | BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says Momentum's move "was not discussed" among its governing body - adding there was "anger" at Mr Lansman as this was "not an official decision". |
| Ex-PM Tony Blair, who led Labour from 1994 to 2007, said abolishing the deputy deader post suggested an "extraordinary level of destructive sectarianism". | |
| He said the party has always contained different views and the deputy leader's position had been one way of accommodating such views. | |
| "Getting rid of it would be a signal that such pluralism of views was coming to an end despite being cherished throughout Labour's history," he said. | |
| Former party leader Ed Miliband said whoever came up with the idea had "taken leave of their senses". | |
| Labour MP Wes Streeting called it "outrageous" and "self-destructive", while his colleague Jess Phillips said it was part of a desperate attempt to control and expel anyone in the party who has an independent thought. | Labour MP Wes Streeting called it "outrageous" and "self-destructive", while his colleague Jess Phillips said it was part of a desperate attempt to control and expel anyone in the party who has an independent thought. |