LABOUR’S Tom Watson has criticised those behind the move to oust him as deputy leader by abolishing his post.
He said it was a “sectarian attack” on the party’s “broad church”.
The motion tabled by Jon Lansman of the Labour grassroots group Momentum was dropped after party leader Jeremy Corbyn intervened.
Corbyn wants the post reviewed rather than abolished.
Watson has clashed with Corbyn over the party’s Brexit policy.
The first move to oust Watson 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 was set to be made yesterday at the party’s conference in Brighton. However, before that went ahead, the NEC agreed to Corbyn’s proposal.
Watson said he found out about the move while having a meal at a Chinese restaurant in Manchester on Friday night.
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