Unite boss in stinging loyalty charge against Labour deputy
Len McCluskey escalates the war of words between the two senior Labour figures following the Copeland by-election defeat.
Saturday 4 March 2017 22:27, UK
A key Jeremy Corbyn ally has issued a stinging disloyalty charge against the Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson.
Len McCluskey, chief of the influential Unite trade union, called into question Mr Watson's loyalty to his leader - at the same time as he laughed off allegations of his own unfaithfulness.
He told Sky News: "One thing I won't do is take any lessons from Tom (Watson) about loyalty - that's a laugh in itself.
"The reality is that I believe in Labour Party democracy, always have done. I have been a member of the Labour Party for 45 years, and I'll support the leader of the Labour Party."
It is the latest in an escalating war of words between the two Labour figures.
Last weekend, Mr Watson criticised the union boss for failing to defend Mr Corbyn following Labour's by-election defeat in Copeland.
The party managed to hold on to its Stoke Central constituency with a diminished majority, but lost its safe seat of Copeland to the Conservatives - the first by-election government gain since 1982.
Speaking after the upset, Mr Watson called out high-profile "cheerleaders" for failing to defend the Labour leader.
He told ITV's Peston on Sunday: "If I have some frustration, it's that those people who are Jeremy's cheerleaders made sure he was elected for the second time last September, they should be sticking with their leader in the bad times not just the good.
"(Unison general secretary) Dave Prentis has spoken but I'd say to you this morning, where's Len McCluskey defending his leader in a difficult time?"
Mr Watson and Mr McCluskey were at one point allies, but their relationship has grown increasingly acrimonious in recent months.
Following the Brexit vote and ensuing Labour frontbench rebellion, Mr McCluskey criticised the deputy leader for calling off peace talks between Corbyn loyalists and rebels.
In September, the Unite boss used his party conference appearance to further attack Mr Watson, suggesting he would struggle to be re-elected if an election was held.
The Labour leadership has repeatedly called for party unity following Mr Corbyn's landslide re-election last summer - but dismal polling has continued to cause division.
Across all ages, genders and regions, voters would be more likely to vote Labour if there was a leadership change, a recent ComRes poll found.
Regardless, Mr Corbyn has pledged to continue.