Tom Watson gets the backing of over third of Labour MEPs

Tom Watson has picked up the endorsement of 7 of Labour’s 20 MEPs.

Watson is one of five people in the running to be Labour next deputy leader. He received 60 nominations from his fellow MPs, candidates needed 35 in order to stay in the race.

Last night following a deputy leadership hustings in Brussels, 70 of Labour’s 20 MEPs announced that they were supporting Watson. They are:

Watson’s leadership pitch centres around his strength as a campaigner and his belief that the election organisation needs to change. Writing for LabourList, Watson has stressed that he has the experience Labour need to be the ‘campaigning deputy’ he thinks Labour needs.

The other candidates in the running to be deputy leader are: Ben Bradshaw, Stella Creasy, Angela Eagle and Caroline Flint.