Tom Watson, the former deputy leader of the Labour Party, has spoken about his decision to remove his children from state education. In a wide-ranging interview, he also discussed the party's election defeat, his relationship with Jeremy Corbyn, and his dramatic weight loss.
Watson, who lost eight stone and is retraining as a gym instructor, said the decision to take his children out of the state system was a personal one. He did not elaborate on the specific reasons, but the move has sparked debate about the state of education in the UK.
Reflecting on Labour's heavy defeat in the December 2019 general election, Watson criticised the party's campaign. 'I don't even know what the message of our campaign was,' he said. 'There were announcements everywhere, but none of them got through because there were so many. You knew what Boris Johnson was: get Brexit done. What was the Labour strapline?'
Watson also highlighted organisational failings, questioning whether proper assessments of key seats had been conducted. He argued that the party must ask itself if it truly wants power, stating that 'the ultimate betrayal of working-class people is not to take power when you can'.
The former MP for West Bromwich East, who stood down before the election, spoke of the brutality of politics. He revealed that a Labour supporter had been arrested for making a death threat against him, but the party had not informed him. 'The brutality and hostility is real and it's day to day,' he said.
Watson defended his stance on Brexit, saying he believed strongly in his position. He also acknowledged that his decision to leave politics was influenced by the toxic atmosphere, both from outside and inside the party.
