Skipping the Trident vote is ducking responsibility, Watson tells MPs, as he confirms he will stay on as deputy

Tom Watson has admitted Labour’s splits over Trident mean the party has been left in “not a great position” but told his parliamentary colleagues that to abstain on the vote would be to duck responsibility.

Labour’s deputy leader attacked the Tories’ “skulduggery” in arranging the vote but said the British people expects Labour to come to a decision on nuclear defence policy rather than to avoid taking a view.

In a plain-speaking interview with the BBC, Watson also confirmed he would stay on as deputy leader if Jeremy Corbyn were to be re-elected as Labour leader, and cited his own mandate from party members.

It is Watson’s comments on Trident, however, that will prompt most attention. MPs will vote tonight on renewal of the independent nuclear deterrent with Labour split between backers of the scheme, long-time opponents, such as Corbyn, and frontbenchers, such as Emily Thornberry and Clive Lewis, who plan to abstain.

Watson told the BBC: “It is an unnecessary vote. It is political artifice. But we have got a vote on Trident and from my point of view, if you are forced into taking a position, then you should take a position.

“We might know that this is political skulduggery but the Tories but the country expects us to know our position on strategic defence matters, particularly something so important as our independent nuclear deterrent. And I think we have to take a position on it. Unfortunately we have a difference of opinion around the shadow Cabinet table which is where there is a free vote. I believe we should support the programme and Jeremy believes we shouldn’t.

“We are early into the lifetime of a new government. We are in our policy cycle. It is a not great position for the Labour Party to be in to be honest. It doesn’t show a clarity of thinking nor do I think it will reassure people we are strong enough on security matters.

“Nevertheless the vast majority of Labour MPs will adhere to our manifesto commitment at the last election on national security and we will convince people that the vast majority of people in the Labour Party understand that security is the first duty of government and that’s why they will be voting for Trident tonight.”

If an early general election were to be called then Labour would ultimately reaffirm its existing policy of backing Trident, Watson added. He also admitted the timing of the vote – planned by David Cameron in what he expected to be his final months in office – has caused problems for Labour.

“Parliament first voted on this back in 2007 so it clearly is a political construct by the current government. They are aiming to divide the Labour Party and if they want to do that they have probably been successful in it.

“Nevertheless it is our duty and our responsibility to take a position. You have to take a position if a vote of this magnitude is put in Westminster. To abstain is to not take responsibility.”

Watson, who several weeks ago tried to broker a “negotiated” settlement in which Corbyn might stand down, confirmed he would remain on the frontbench if the leader is re-elected this summer, saying: “I will do my best as deputy leader to try and find creative and imaginative ways to find a way to break the current logjam.”