Watson stages 'polite' walkout over Labour's EU election manifesto

Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, has walked out of a shadow cabinet meeting after demanding to see the text of the party’s draft manifesto for the European parliamentary elections. The shadow cabinet met before Labour’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) gathered to sign off the manifesto for the elections next month. Watson said he had asked whether the shadow cabinet would be shown a draft of the manifesto, but when none materialised, he “politely” walked out. The manifesto for the elections, which has been drafted by the party’s policy chief, Andrew Fisher, is expected to reiterate the policy announced in February.