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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 MP has been embroiled in a row about the role of the Unite union in candidate selection in Falkirk. | The MP has been embroiled in a row about the role of the Unite union in candidate selection in Falkirk. |
| Mr Watson, whose office manager was the union's choice for the seat, wrote that it was better for the "future unity" of Labour that he resigned. | Mr Watson, whose office manager was the union's choice for the seat, wrote that it was better for the "future unity" of Labour that he resigned. |
| Unite said the party's inquiry into the Falkirk selection had been a "stitch-up" and a "disgrace". | Unite said the party's inquiry into the Falkirk selection had been a "stitch-up" and a "disgrace". |
| The union - one of Labour's biggest backers - has been accused of hijacking the process to select a candidate in Falkirk to replace outgoing MP Eric Joyce. | The union - one of Labour's biggest backers - has been accused of hijacking the process to select a candidate in Falkirk to replace outgoing MP Eric Joyce. |
| 'Mess' | 'Mess' |
| Mr Watson's office manager, Karie Murphy, was the union's preferred candidate. | Mr Watson's office manager, Karie Murphy, was the union's preferred candidate. |
| The MP, a former flat-mate of Unite's general secretary, offered to go on Tuesday but had been asked to reconsider by leader Ed Miliband. | |
| Two hours after Mr Watson resigned on Thursday, a Labour spokesman confirmed the party had suspended Falkirk party chairman Stephen Deans and Ms Murphy. | Two hours after Mr Watson resigned on Thursday, a Labour spokesman confirmed the party had suspended Falkirk party chairman Stephen Deans and Ms Murphy. |
| It also closed down the scheme under which unions could sign up members to the Labour Party and pay the fees on their behalf. | |
| Unite's general secretary, Len McCluskey, denounced the party's own investigation as "simply a 'stitch-up' designed to "produce some evidence, however threadbare, to justify pre-determined decisions". | Unite's general secretary, Len McCluskey, denounced the party's own investigation as "simply a 'stitch-up' designed to "produce some evidence, however threadbare, to justify pre-determined decisions". |
| He added: "Even on the basis of this flimsy report, it is clear that these decisions cannot be justified. There is no emergency which would justify imposing these undemocratic restrictions, since any real problems could easily be addressed before embarking on a parliamentary selection process." | He added: "Even on the basis of this flimsy report, it is clear that these decisions cannot be justified. There is no emergency which would justify imposing these undemocratic restrictions, since any real problems could easily be addressed before embarking on a parliamentary selection process." |
| Mr McCluskey accused Labour of trying to "smear" Unite and its members, adding: "The mishandling of this investigation has been a disgrace." | Mr McCluskey accused Labour of trying to "smear" Unite and its members, adding: "The mishandling of this investigation has been a disgrace." |
| He called for an independent investigation into events in Falkirk. | He called for an independent investigation into events in Falkirk. |
| In his resignation letter, Mr Watson said he was not quitting because of "unattributed shadow cabinet briefings around the mess in Falkirk... though they don't help". | In his resignation letter, Mr Watson said he was not quitting because of "unattributed shadow cabinet briefings around the mess in Falkirk... though they don't help". |
| 'Loyal servant' | 'Loyal servant' |
| In his he said: "I fully accept the consequences of that decision and genuinely hope my departure allows the party to move on." | In his 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. |
| 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." |
| 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". | 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." |
| However, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said "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." | However, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said "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. | 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. |