Tom Watson says frontbench Brexit rebels could get jobs back
Tom Watson says he sympathises with colleagues who feel they can't back triggering Article 50 - as ordered by Jeremy Corbyn.
Saturday 28 January 2017 18:07, UK
Members of Jeremy Corbyn's top team who resign over Brexit could have their jobs back "within months", Tom Watson has told Paste BN.
Labour's deputy leader said he sympathised with colleagues who felt they could not vote to trigger Article 50 - as ordered by the party leader.
One of his shadow cabinet - shadow Welsh secretary Jo Stevens - has already resigned her post over the issue, while others are considering their position.
But rather than urging colleagues to unite behind their leader, Mr Watson suggested junior shadow ministers may not be sacked for doing so as is the convention.
He told Sky: "I hope that those colleagues who feel they need to leave the front bench because they feel strongly that they have to represent the interests of their voters don't feel that this is the end.
"I hope that Jo Stevens will be back on the frontbenches in the months and years ahead," he said, adding, "[she has a] very great role to play [in the future of the party]."
Mr Watson's comments are notably different in tone to those of Diane Abbott.
She warned MPs this week: "How could MPs vote for a referendum and then turn around and say 'It went the wrong way so we are ignoring it'?...It would look as if elites were refusing to listen to them. It would be wrong."
Earlier this the week the Labour leader imposed a three-line whip on the Article 50 vote, ordering his MPs in the strongest possible terms to back the start of Brexit negotiations.
But he almost immediately faced internal dissent, with Jo Stevens and shadow minister Tulip Siddiq resigning from their frontbench posts.
At least three other members of his top team - including one of the party whips - have said they will also vote against but have not yet resigned.
Asked whether they would have to, Mr Watson said: "These are very unique circumstances and we are going to deal with this issue very sensitively."
A source close to Mr Corbyn also failed to rule out allowing rebels to stay on the frontbench, saying: "It would be premature to talk about consequences until after the vote has taken place."
Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire has said she will defy the Labour leader's orders, despite herself being a whip charged with maintaining party discipline.
Paste BN has learnt that Labour's environment spokeswoman Rachael Maskell is considering opposing Mr Corbyn.
Her York Central constituency voted for Remain and she said she would spend the next few days taking soundings from constituents.
Some 60 Labour backbenchers are expected to oppose their leader next Wednesday, but the bill - which is at its first stage - is expected to pass with a strong Commons majority.