'Completely anti-democratic': Tom Watson slams 'hard-left takeover' of Sandwell Council
Tom Watson has attacked allies of Jeremy Corbyn for orchestrating a hard-left takeover of Sandwell Council's Labour group.
The West Bromwich East MP said it was "outrageous" and "anti-democratic" that members of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) had deselected borough councillors for the upcoming local elections.
The move – described today as "mafioso style politics" – has seen a number of allies of Mr Watson told they cannot fight for their seats.
It has been perceived as an orchestrated attack on the Labour deputy leader and comes after hard left allies of Mr Corbyn seized control of the selection process in Sandwell.
And Mr Watson today warned that the same scenario was happening in other parts of the UK, saying: "If it’s going on here, it’ll be going on up and down the country."
