In the old days, Tom Watson used to attend Jeremy Corbyn’s Christmas drinks for hacks — and even offer a speech of his own. However, in a sign that relations between the Labour leader and his deputy may not be so tickety-boo, the pair held separate bashes this year.
As Watson thanked hacks for their work this year — praising the Times‘s trouser-gate headlines and heralding ever closer relations with the Mail on Sunday — he couldn’t resist taking a few swipes at his boss in the speech:
‘I do know that many of you were at Jeremy’s event last night and I hear that it was genuinely a sumptuous affair, so — as you can see — out of the loyalty to the twice-elected leader of the Labour party, we’ve made a point in ensuring tonight isn’t anywhere near as good.
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