Tom Watson rejects 'progressive alliance' with SNP and others

Tom Watson - PA

Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson used his speech to Scottish Labour conference to reject any notion of a progressive alliance at Westminster with the SNP and the Greens.

Some figures in the party, most notably former Shadow Cabinet member Clive Lewis, have said that the party should agree a "progressive alliance" with some of its rivals to take on the Tories at the next election.

Watson said the idea was an "electoral dead-end".

He said: "I get frustrated when some people – mostly, it must be said, in England – argue that the solution to our current difficulties lies in a 'progressive alliance'.

"I can see how, on the surface, it’s tempting. How it feels like a shortcut to power. There are obviously some areas where we agree with some other parties, so it's easy to imagine that we're all on the same side really.

"But I’ve heard these arguments before. I was around in the eighties, when all the talk was of a "rainbow alliance". So trust me, I know what I’m saying, when I say the idea of a progressive alliance is an electoral dead end."

He added: "We've already got a progressive alliance. It's called the Labour party."

Jeremy Corbyn's deputy also said "things have to change" to prevent a Scottish-style collapse in support from its traditional voters in the wake of the byelection defeat in Copeland.

However, he insisted that the question of Mr Corbyn's leadership had been "settled" last year and should not be re-visited.

"All of us with leadership roles in the Labour party need to have a long, hard look at ourselves and what's not working.

"Seven years into a Tory government, we shouldn't be facing questions about whether we can retain the seats we already hold.

"Our job at the next election is to gain over 100 seats. Keeping what we have is supposed to be the easy bit.

"Here in Scotland, you've seen what happens when Labour's long-term supporters stop voting Labour. We can't afford to have that happen in England too."