Tom Watson ‘would serve in government with pro-EU Conservatives’ Labour’s deputy leader makes a bold suggestion ahead of a possible upcoming general election to break the Brexit deadlock

Tom Watson will not rule out teaming up with Europhile Conservatives in a cross-party government of “national unity”.

The deputy Labour leader, who is rumoured to have been approached by Tory Remainers, said he would service in a mixed cabinet “if needs be”.

He made the comments during an interview with Prospect magazine. The article indicated that “close confidents” of Mr Watson revealing that he had been asked about serving in such a government.

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“Like Ernie Bevin I prefer Labour governments and I hope we never get to a point where our economy or security is so in peril that we get a government of national unity,” Mr Watson said.

“If needs must, we have to then do what’s right,” he added.

Cross-party approach

Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme, former Conservative minister Nicky Morgan also spoke on the possibility of a cross-party government.

“It may well be that if you end up with a cross-party approach to finding a majority in the House of Commons, it might be that you need a cross-party approach to implementing it,” she said.

“There have been periods in our history when we have had national unity governments or a coalition for a very specific issue.”

A national unity government is rare in Britain, particularly in times of peace. The Lib-Con coalition between David Cameron and Nick Clegg was the first cabinet formed across party lines since Winston Churchill formed his cabinet war ministry during the Second World War.

Vocal dissent

Mr Watson has been a critic of Jeremy Corbyn’s position on a number of policies recently. Earlier in March, around a third of Labour MPs attended the first meeting of his Future Britain group.

Around 80 MPs heard the deputy Labour leader warning of a huge split in the party unless “pluralism and tolerance” were restored. Lord Mandelson and Lord Kinnock also spoke at the event.

Mr Watson announced the formation of the group following the exit of nine Labour MPs in February to join what is now called Change UK.

“The last few weeks have been very difficult and upsetting. The departure of good people, in particular friends like Luciana [Berger] and Ian Austin, was for me a personal wake-up call to step up and do more,” he told the meeting.

“I really fear that unless we restore pluralism and tolerance to this party it will be irreparably damaged and we will see a schism bigger than any we have experienced in our long history.”