Tom Watson: Labour MPs 'must respect Jeremy Corbyn'

Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson today slapped down MPs in his party who are criticising Jeremy Corbyn and demanded they “show respect”.

Mr Watson said “colleagues” briefing against the new party leader had to understand he had won a huge mandate from members.

His comments came after two of Mr Corbyn’s shadow cabinet ministers openly disagreed with his views on scrapping the Trident nuclear deterrent and leaving Nato.

Mr Watson also dismissed as “froth” claims that top generals would “mutiny” against a Labour government under Mr Corbyn.

The deputy leader said a period of “turbulence” was inevitable as the Labour party underwent a “political realignment”. He added that a key feature of the new regime would be that party members, including the 60,000 who joined since Mr Corbyn’s victory, would be “playing a role”.

Speaking on BBC radio, he went on: “It is going to take a little bit of time for them to be involved. I would just say to those MPs that are saying things on the record and off the record please respect the mandate he was given.

“Sixty per cent of our members voted for him... give him a bit of space and time to let him lay out his stall.”

As Labour prepares for its party conference, shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer said yesterday that he disagreed with his new leader on ditching Trident and potentially leaving Nato.

He also said he disagreed with views stated during Mr Corbyn’s campaign about the Iraq War, nationalising utilities, scrapping academies and removing the Bank of England’s independence.

Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn later said it was unlikely Labour would campaign to get rid of the UK’s nuclear arsenal or quit Nato.