‘Planned and well-organised’: how the Labour plot to oust Tom Watson unfolded

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/21/how-the-labour-coup-to-oust-tom-watson-unfolded

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Even as it was happening, Labour MPs couldn’t quite believe it. It was Friday night, on the eve of what most expected to be a pre-election annual conference – a crucial moment to show voters that the party had eye-catching plans to change the country.

And yet some MPs were discussing whether they may have to walk out or launch a leadership challenge against Jeremy Corbyn.

Their outbreak of panic quickly followed the shock news that an attempt had been launched to oust deputy leader Tom Watson, seen as Corbyn’s most senior party critic.

The ambush, unleashed at the end of a meeting of the party’s ruling national executive committee (NEC), narrowly failed. But with another attempt due to take place on Saturday morning, opponents realised that stunned shock had to be replaced by swift action.

“On a night like this I am hitting the phones and getting organised,” said one MP. “What an absolute disgrace.”

The move was such a surprise that some members of the NEC hadn’t even arrived in Brighton when it took place. Watson wasn’t present. It was proposed by Jon Lansman, the founder of the Momentum group, once Corbyn had left the meeting.

There was no paperwork, but insiders said it looked like a “planned and well-organised” move. Watson’s role of deputy leader should be abolished, Lansman said, citing the deputy leader’s disloyalty over Brexit and his repeated demands for Labour to have a more pro-Remain position. Some shadow cabinet figures are said to have voted in favour.

In fact, the attempt to topple Watson would have succeeded, had it not been for the quick thinking of Wendy Nichols, the union official who chairs the committee. She ruled the motion out of order, meaning it required a two-thirds majority to pass. It failed to secure that threshold, giving Watson and his backers 12 hours to fight back before the next meeting.

That delay was critical. Corbyn’s office was being inundated by concerned MPs. Tony Blair called for the motion to be withdrawn. Gordon Brown was said to be privately urging a rethink.

Then union bosses waded in, with the most strident warning coming from Dave Prentis, the Unison boss. Even staunchly pro-Corbyn union bosses privately said they had concerns about the measure. By mid-morning on Saturday, the blowback had been so severe that it seemed inevitable Corbyn would have to step in. He duly did so, securing the NEC’s support for a longer-term review of the deputy leader’s role.

What a disgrace. On a night like this I am hitting the phones and getting organised.

“What you had [on Friday night] was a quick head of steam gathering around the potential leadership challenge and the prospect of MPs announcing a unilateral declaration of independence and basically walking out,” said an MP. “The intervention by the unions set that back, but at the same time, people have already been out on the doorstep saying this is cutting through.”

While the threat to Watson may have been kicked into the long grass, serious damage had already been done to the party’s conference plans.

Announcements on more GPs and interest-free loans for electric cars were drowned out. Party officials who had spent weeks stress-testing policy ideas and finishing speeches were in despair. And no sooner had the Watson ousting been dealt with than a new row was brewing over Brexit. Any hopes that the party could regain control of the agenda were dashed as it revealed its latest plans – to wait until after the next election before deciding Labour’s position in a future EU referendum, via a special conference of members.

Pro-Remain activists immediately detected an attempt to stop any grassroots conference debate about the issue. Meanwhile, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry was at a pro-referendum rally in which she said the party should stop “messing around” and back Remain now.

As the dust settled, Labour insiders spent Saturday trying to figure out what the grand plan was behind the move against Watson.

Various sources pointed to three main aims. The first was a simple act of revenge over Watson’s use of his position to undermine Corbyn, most recently by calling for a second EU referendum to take place before a general election.

The second was an attempt to switch the focus away from the coming conference row over Brexit.

Finally, several sources said the attempt to oust Watson pointed to the coming battle – what happens when Corbyn steps down as leader?

Removing Watson as deputy would have meant he would not temporarily lead the party once Corbyn steps down, removing any influence he may have over the succession. At the same Friday meeting at which the Watson motion was discussed, the NEC also passed a rule stating that an acting leader had to be approved by the NEC. To many close observers, it appeared to be an attempt by the party’s left to keep control once Corbyn departs. “It just looks to me like a sort of warm-up for a post-general election life and death struggle for the Labour party,” said one MP.

“It looks like they’ve concluded that Corbyn is going to go and they are just lining up the succession. The mad thing is the government is in an absolute mess. It is absolutely possible for Labour to be the largest party after the election, and they are throwing it all away.”