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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Tom Watson quits as Labour election campaign chief | Tom Watson quits as Labour election campaign chief |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour's Tom Watson has resigned from his shadow cabinet role as the party's general election co-ordinator. | Labour's Tom Watson has resigned from his shadow cabinet role as the party's general election co-ordinator. |
| The West Bromwich East MP has been embroiled in a row about candidate selection in Falkirk. | The West Bromwich East MP has been embroiled in a row about candidate selection in Falkirk. |
| Mr Watson, known for pursuing the phone hacking scandal, wrote that it was better for the "future unity" of the Labour Party that he resigned. | Mr Watson, known for pursuing the phone hacking scandal, wrote that it was better for the "future unity" of the Labour Party that he resigned. |
| Labour leader Ed Miliband praised his work but said it made sense for Mr Watson and Labour that he resign. | Labour leader Ed Miliband praised his work but said it made sense for Mr Watson and Labour that he resign. |
| Mr Watson had apparently offered to resign on Tuesday but had been asked to reconsider by Mr Miliband. | Mr Watson had apparently offered to resign on Tuesday but had been asked to reconsider by Mr Miliband. |
| The MP has become the first casualty of the Falkirk row, BBC deputy political editor James Landale said. | The MP has become the first casualty of the Falkirk row, BBC deputy political editor James Landale said. |
| Not forgiven | Not forgiven |
| The row broke out over the seat being vacated by Labour's Eric Joyce - the Unite union has been accused of hijacking the process to select a new candidate to replace him, and Mr Watson's office manager was the union's preferred candidate. | The row broke out over the seat being vacated by Labour's Eric Joyce - the Unite union has been accused of hijacking the process to select a new candidate to replace him, and Mr Watson's office manager was the union's preferred candidate. |
| Two hours after Mr Watson resigned a Labour spokesman confirmed the party had suspended Falkirk party chairman Stephen Deans and Karie Murphy the Unite-backed prospective candidate, as well as the scheme under which unions could sign up members to the Labour Party and pay the fees on their behalf. | |
| In his letter to Mr Miliband, Mr Watson said he was not quitting because of "unattributed shadow cabinet briefings around the mess in Falkirk... though they don't help". | |
| He said some within the party had still not forgiven him for resigning as defence minister in 2006 - when, as a close ally of Gordon Brown, he called for then Prime Minister Tony Blair to resign, hastening his departure from office. | |
| In his href="http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/2013/07/independence-day-resignation-letter-3" >letter he said: "I fully accept the consequences of that decision and genuinely hope my departure allows the party to move on." | |
| He added that he wanted to speak out on areas of personal interest, such as the surveillance state, drones, child abuse inquiries, and the aftermath of the phone hacking scandal. | He added that he wanted to speak out on areas of personal interest, such as the surveillance state, drones, child abuse inquiries, and the aftermath of the phone hacking scandal. |
| 'Loyal servant' | 'Loyal servant' |
| And in a tongue-in-cheek paragraph aimed at stopping journalists from "misconstruing" his resignation, he told Mr Miliband: "Let me say this: I'm proud of your Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve. | And in a tongue-in-cheek paragraph aimed at stopping journalists from "misconstruing" his resignation, he told Mr Miliband: "Let me say this: I'm proud of your Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve. |
| "I remain your loyal servant. I'll always be on hand to help you if you need me. I just don't think you need me in the shadow cabinet any more. | "I remain your loyal servant. I'll always be on hand to help you if you need me. I just don't think you need me in the shadow cabinet any more. |
| "After nearly 30 years of this, I feel like I've seen the merry-go-round turn too many times. Whereas the shadow cabinet's for people who still want to get dizzy." | "After nearly 30 years of this, I feel like I've seen the merry-go-round turn too many times. Whereas the shadow cabinet's for people who still want to get dizzy." |
| In response, Mr Miliband praised Mr Watson's efforts to "regalvanise the grass roots" and said he had "helped to put real spirit into Labour Party activists up and down the country". | |
| But he said: "As I said to you when we spoke at lunchtime today, I do believe that it does now make sense for you and for the party for you to step down." | But he said: "As I said to you when we spoke at lunchtime today, I do believe that it does now make sense for you and for the party for you to step down." |
| He added: "I am grateful to you for your loyalty and friendship. You are a formidable campaigner, passionate about the cause of a fairer country, and I know you will be speaking with eloquence from the backbenches on the issues you care about most." | He added: "I am grateful to you for your loyalty and friendship. You are a formidable campaigner, passionate about the cause of a fairer country, and I know you will be speaking with eloquence from the backbenches on the issues you care about most." |
| At this week's Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron repeatedly raised the row between Labour and Unite over Falkirk to try to portray Mr Miliband as a weak leader under the influence of the union - one of Labour's biggest backers. | At this week's Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron repeatedly raised the row between Labour and Unite over Falkirk to try to portray Mr Miliband as a weak leader under the influence of the union - one of Labour's biggest backers. |
| 'No confidence' | 'No confidence' |
| Briefing notes for Mr Miliband, accidentally left in a House of Commons toilet on Wednesday, show he was ready for an attack on Mr Watson - although in the event, Mr Cameron did not mention the MP. | Briefing notes for Mr Miliband, accidentally left in a House of Commons toilet on Wednesday, show he was ready for an attack on Mr Watson - although in the event, Mr Cameron did not mention the MP. |
| On Thursday, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps continued Mr Cameron's theme: "This is a clear vote of no confidence in Ed Miliband's weak leadership from the man he brought in to run his campaign. But this still doesn't change the fact that Len McCluskey's Unite union is taking over the Labour Party." | On Thursday, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps continued Mr Cameron's theme: "This is a clear vote of no confidence in Ed Miliband's weak leadership from the man he brought in to run his campaign. But this still doesn't change the fact that Len McCluskey's Unite union is taking over the Labour Party." |
| Labour officials have now taken charge of the selection process in Falkirk for the 2015 general election, following claims that Unite had encouraged its members to join the party in order to lend their support to the union's preferred candidate. | |
| Now only those who were party members by March 2012 can take part in the vote. | Now only those who were party members by March 2012 can take part in the vote. |