Face of Nation : Labour’s Tom Watson is facing a fresh bid to oust him as deputy leader by abolishing his post. An initial move was made at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting 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. It is understood the motion was tabled by Jon Lansman, founder of Labour grassroots group Momentum. The campaign group was set up to support Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party.
Mr Watson has been at odds with Mr Corbyn over Labour’s stance on Brexit. He wants another public vote on the UK’s membership of the EU before any general election, but Mr Corbyn has said an election should come first. The party leader has refused to say which side he might back in a future Brexit referendum under a Labour government.
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 “Labour members overwhelmingly want a deputy leadership election, but our outdated rulebook won’t let it happen.”
Under Labour Party rules, any candidate to challenge the deputy leader must be backed by 20% of Labour MPs and MEPs. Potential challengers may seek nominations to trigger a deputy leadership election each year prior to the annual party conference. But nominations which do not gain the 20% threshold will not be taken forward.
The NEC, Labour’s governing body, will vote again on abolishing Mr Watson’s post at the party’s annual conference at 10:00 BST on Saturday.
Sources told political editor Laura Kuenssberg they expected the vote to be passed. There will then be a vote on the conference floor in the afternoon, where the bid could be approved, ousting Mr Watson. Mr Watson’s supporters were “not overly optimistic” that he will win Saturday’s vote.
