"It Was News To Me": Dawn Butler Admits Surprise At Moves To Abolish Tom Watson's Role

21 September 2019, 09:21 | Updated: 21 September 2019, 09:23

The Shadow Women & Equalities Secretary told LBC that it "may come to nothing" but she was surprised to hear the news.

Speaking about Momentum's plans to abolish the role of Deputy Leader of the Labour party, Dawn Butler told Andrew Castle: "It was news to me."

She added: "But, at the end of the day, it is a motion that has been placed at the NEC by elected members of the NEC - the governing body of the party. It may come to nothing."

Andrew Castle asked Butler whether the events might look like "division" to the general public.

She said: "It's something that I don't really want to speculate. I think we should wait and see what happens after the discussion and the vote."

Without taking a clear stance on whether the role should be abolished, she said: "I think it's an important role. Of course I do."

She repeated a point she made earlier in the interview: "This actually came as a surprise to me too."