From the Guardian today- really shocking
'Jon Lansman, the founder of the pro-Corbyn campaign group Momentum, tabled a last-minute motion at the party’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) on Friday night calling for Watson’s job to be scrapped.
The chair of the NEC initially ruled Lansman’s motion out of order, but NEC members agreed to return to the issue on Saturday morning. If the policy is agreed, it would be recommended to Labour members as a change to party rules, which would then have to be approved by conference.
Neither Watson nor Corbyn were present at the meeting. Watson said he was yet to speak to Corbyn.
Watson said: “It’s a straight sectarian attack on a broad church party and 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 kind of completely goes against the sort of traditions that the Labour party has had for 100 years.”
Watson believes his position on Brexit is behind the move to oust him. He added: “If we’re serious about changing the political economy in Britain, of giving people the benefits of a transformative Labour government then let’s focus on that this week rather than having what seems like a sort of slight of hand of constitutional change to do a drive-by shooting of someone you disagree with on the issue of the day.”
Labour MPs have come to Watson’s defence The former prime minister Tony Blair said a decision to abolish the post of deputy leader would be “undemocratic, damaging and politically dangerous”.
He added: “To suggest it at this time shows a quite extraordinary level of destructive sectarianism. The Labour party has always contained different views within it and the deputy leader’s position has been one way of accommodating such views.'
an attack on a broad church party and 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 kind of completely goes against the sort of traditions that the Labour party has had for 100 years.”
Watson believes his position on Brexit is behind the move to oust him. He added: “If we’re serious about changing the political economy in Britain, of giving people the benefits of a transformative Labour government then let’s focus on that this week rather than having what seems like a sort of slight of hand of constitutional change to do a drive-by shooting of someone you disagree with on the issue of the day.”
Labour MPs have come to Watson’s defence The former prime minister Tony Blair said a decision to abolish the post of deputy leader would be “undemocratic, damaging and politically dangerous”.
He added: “To suggest it at this time shows a quite extraordinary level of destructive sectarianism. The Labour party has always contained different views within it and the deputy leader’s position has been one way of accommodating such views.