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| Tom Watson says he stood down as an MP over Labour 'brutality' | Tom Watson says he stood down as an MP over Labour 'brutality' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Former deputy leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson has said he stood down as an MP because of "brutality and hostility" within his party. | Former deputy leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson has said he stood down as an MP because of "brutality and hostility" within his party. |
| The former West Bromwich East MP, who stood down last month, told the Guardian criticism from factions and on social media became a "heavy load". | The former West Bromwich East MP, who stood down last month, told the Guardian criticism from factions and on social media became a "heavy load". |
| Mr Watson also claimed party officials concealed a death threat towards him. | Mr Watson also claimed party officials concealed a death threat towards him. |
| The 52-year-old, who has lost eight stone in weight, is retraining as a gym instructor. | The 52-year-old, who has lost eight stone in weight, is retraining as a gym instructor. |
| Speaking to the Guardian's Weekend magazine in the wake of Labour's election defeat on 12 December, Mr Watson said of his decision to stand down: "The point is that the brutality and hostility is real and it's day to day. | Speaking to the Guardian's Weekend magazine in the wake of Labour's election defeat on 12 December, Mr Watson said of his decision to stand down: "The point is that the brutality and hostility is real and it's day to day. |
| "So I just thought: now's the time to take a leap, do something different. You've had a good innings. You've done good stuff. Go now." | "So I just thought: now's the time to take a leap, do something different. You've had a good innings. You've done good stuff. Go now." |
| Mr Watson also used the interview to praise outgoing leader Jeremy Corbyn personally, but admitted voting for rival Owen Smith during the party's 2016 leadership election. | Mr Watson also used the interview to praise outgoing leader Jeremy Corbyn personally, but admitted voting for rival Owen Smith during the party's 2016 leadership election. |
| "I thought, as soon as the leader loses the confidence of the parliamentary party it's almost impossible to see how you can form a government. | |
| "I thought Jeremy should have resigned, and he nearly did." | |
| The party is now preparing for a fresh leadership race in the wake of the recent election result. | The party is now preparing for a fresh leadership race in the wake of the recent election result. |
| The Conservatives won an 80 seat majority after Labour's "red wall" across the Midlands and the north of England crumbled. | |
| Those seats included Mr Watson's former constituency, West Bromwich East, which was gained by the Tories for the first time with a majority of 1,593. | |
| In his first sit-down interview since the result, Mr Watson also asked questions of Labour's campaign strategy. | |
| "There were announcements everywhere, but none of them got through because there were so many," he said. | |
| "You knew what Boris Johnson's was: get Brexit done. What was the Labour strapline?" |