Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mr Watson said party members would not welcome a challenge to Mr Corbyn's leadership

Labour's deputy leader has urged politicians across his party to "calm down", amid speculation about a possible leadership challenge.

Tom Watson told Sky News those who had elected Jeremy Corbyn "on a very large mandate" last September would not want to see him challenged months later.

"I hope that those MPs on all sides of this argument will pay heed to that," he said.

Recent reports say some Labour MPs are now set on trying to oust Mr Corbyn.

Two days ago, BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said a minority of MPs seemed more determined than ever to mount a challenge soon.

Our correspondent said tension in the party is heightening ahead of elections in May in Scotland, Wales, London and English local authorities, with Mr Corbyn's allies and critics each staking out their positions.

Labour's deputy leader said: "This is the great irony of politics in that there are people in the party who are trying to change the rules in order to try and protect Jeremy's position and they might just be precipitating a challenge to his leadership.

"Of course that's just not common sense and I hope those people who are holding those different point of views can calm down a bit.

'Very unhelpful'

In other comments, Mr Watson said he was "incredibly disappointed... and I know Jeremy is too" by Ken Livingstone's recent remarks that a hedge fund manager donating to Labour MP Dan Jarvis was like "Jimmy Savile funding a children's group".

"That was very unhelpful because what we're trying to do is make sure that all our members and our MPs stick to talking about policies and issues and don't slug it out with personal insults," Mr Watson said.

Mr Jarvis, whom some commentators see as a future Labour leader, has not responded to Mr Livingstone publically.

The hedge fund donor, Martin Taylor, said the former London mayor's remarks were "inflammatory and unfounded".