Tom Watson moves to give voice to Labour moderates and stop further defections

This is what happened in Tom Watson's meeting with Labour peers.

The party's deputy leader told them his new group of Labour moderates would be called the Future Britain Group.

It would meet next week for the first time and would focus on long-term post-Brexit challenges.

He also revealed he met Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday and made five points to him:

  • MPs should elect some members of shadow cabinet to improve the bridge between parliamentary party and leadership

  • The plan to allow members to elect council leaders should be dropped or moderate councillors would defect to Independent Group

  • A stop must be made to attempts to deselect moderate MPs or more will defect (to the Independent Group, again)

  • Labour’s social media code should be toughened and Mr Corbyn should use his own social media accounts to call out bullying

  • Jewish community isunlikely to be reassured if Labour member Lord Falconer heads review of Labour anti-Semitism, even though Watson rates Falconer. Watson told Mr Corbyn a non-Labour member must replace Falconer and head the review.

I understand the overwhelming majority of Labour peers were supportive of Watson, except for John Prescott, who was grumpy, though no one quite understood why.

The big point is that the Watson steamroller to give a voice to Labour moderates and prevent further defections to the Independents Group rolls on.