Controversial ex-Labour deputy leader Tom Watson rejected for peerage for second time

CONTROVERSIAL ex-Labour deputy chief Tom Watson has again been rejected for a peerage.

He was overlooked by Labour boss Sir Keir Starmer for his latest list of House of Lords appointments, published yesterday.


Controversial ex-Labour deputy leader Tom Watson rejected for peerage for second time
Ex-Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has been rejected for a peerage for a second time

An ongoing Parliamentary investigation into Mr Watson’s involvement in the false VIP Westminster paedophile ring is understood to be the reason behind Sir Keir’s snub.

Mr Watson was first nominated earlier this year by ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

But it was blocked by the Lords Appointments Commission over concerns about Mr Watson’s support for VIP paedophile ring fantasist Carl Beech, whose claims wasted more than £2.5million in public money.

Critics accused Mr Watson of encouraging Beech to take his false claims to police.

But defenders insisted it was unfair to blame him as all he did was highlight the issue.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson sparked a fresh cronyism row yesterday after overruling the peerage watchdog by handing a Lords seat to a Tory donor.


Controversial ex-Labour deputy leader Tom Watson rejected for peerage for second time
Labour boss Sir Keir Starmer overlooked Watson for his latest list of House of Lords appointments
Controversial ex-Labour deputy leader Tom Watson rejected for peerage for second time
Boris Johnson sparked a fresh cronyism row after overruling the peerage watchdog by handing a Lords seat to a Tory donor

City tycoon Peter Cruddas, who was also one of the biggest donors of the Brexit campaign, has been given a life peerage.

The businessman quit as Tory co-treasurer in 2012 following cash-for-access allegations but he later won a libel case over it.

Mr Johnson dismissed the watchdog’s “historic concerns” and said Mr Cruddas would make a “valuable contribution”.