Tom Watson urged to quit over bogus sex abuse claims
Report into bungled sex abuse inquiry expected to criticise deputy Labour leader

Tom Watson is under renewed pressure as victims of Scotland Yard’s inquiry into a fictional Westminster paedophile ring urge him to resign ahead of the publication of a report.
The report will explore how false claims made by Carl Beech against politicians and senior military officers led to Operation Midland, which cost £2.5m and falsely accused several high-profile figures of sexual abuse.
The deputy Labour leader is “unfit to hold the office of MP”, according to Lady Brittan, the widow of Lord Brittan of Spennithorne, the former Conservative home secretary who died before the claims against him were proved to be false.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Speaking to The Times, a friend of Lady Brittan said “the extent of Tom Watson’s involvement in the witch-hunt of innocent people has been laid bare” in the report, which is expected to detail Watson’s contact with and influence over the police.
Watson’s “subsequent attempts to distance himself show a complete lack of integrity”, the friend adds. By “misusing his public office to recklessly repeat false allegations, and to characterise himself as a victim, he has shown that he is unfit to hold the office of MP”.
Another former Conservative MP, Harvey Proctor, has also called for the resignation of Watson after reading the report. Proctor, wrongly named a child murderer and paedophile by Carl Beech, who was later convicted of making false claims, says Watson had displayed a lack of judgment.
According to The Daily Telegraph, the report will state that that “bungling” Scotland Yard detectives in charge of the VIP sex abuse inquiry became “so fixated with appeasing Tom Watson they failed to spot the accuser was a serial liar”.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Watson said last night: “I have always said that it wasn’t my place to judge whether sexual abuse allegations were true or false; that was for the police. The police asked me to encourage the hundreds of people that came to me with stories of child abuse to report their stories to the police. That is what I did.”
-
Strava vs. Garmin: the row splitting the running community
Under The Radar The legal dispute between the two titans of exercise tech is like ‘Mom and Dad fighting’
-
Bad Bunny: Why MAGA is incensed
Feature The NFL announced Latino artist Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl halftime headliner, sparking MAGA outrage
-
Supreme Court: Judging 20 years of Roberts
Feature Two decades after promising to “call balls and strikes,” Chief Justice John Roberts faces scrutiny for reshaping American democracy
-
Taking the low road: why the SNP is still standing strong
Talking Point Party is on track for a fifth consecutive victory in May’s Holyrood election, despite controversies and plummeting support
-
What difference will the 'historic' UK-Germany treaty make?
Today's Big Question Europe's two biggest economies sign first treaty since WWII, underscoring 'triangle alliance' with France amid growing Russian threat and US distance
-
Is the G7 still relevant?
Talking Point Donald Trump's early departure cast a shadow over this week's meeting of the world's major democracies
-
Angela Rayner: Labour's next leader?
Today's Big Question A leaked memo has sparked speculation that the deputy PM is positioning herself as the left-of-centre alternative to Keir Starmer
-
Is Starmer's plan to send migrants overseas Rwanda 2.0?
Today's Big Question Failed asylum seekers could be removed to Balkan nations under new government plans
-
Has Starmer put Britain back on the world stage?
Talking Point UK takes leading role in Europe on Ukraine and Starmer praised as credible 'bridge' with the US under Trump
-
Left on read: Labour's WhatsApp dilemma
Talking Point Andrew Gwynne has been sacked as health minister over messages posted in a Labour WhatsApp group
-
New Year's Honours: why the controversy?
Today's Big Question London Mayor Sadiq Khan and England men's football manager Gareth Southgate have both received a knighthood despite debatable records