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When will Tom Watson break his silence on Carl Beech?

Tom Watson’s face is splashed across the front pages of the newspapers today but unfortunately for the typically publicity-hungry Watson it’s for all the wrong reasons. Labour’s deputy leader is facing calls to quit following the conviction of Carl Beech, a fantasist who was yesterday found guilty of making up claims about a VIP paedophile ring in Westminster.

In 2014, Watson met Beech at his office in Westminster to discuss the allegations. Beech later told police that Watson was among a ‘little group supporting me and putting my information out there to encourage other people to come forward’.

But while Watson is in the news, he is so far keeping schtum. Or at least he is staying quiet when it comes to calls for him to apologise to those caught up in Beech’s lies. Watson has, though, found time today to speak out on a range of other subjects. He has called Matt Hancock ‘deeply disappointing’ for not cracking down on sugar…

… retweeted a post about how a no-deal Brexit might affect the cheddar industry and criticised Boris Johnson after he won the Tory leadership race…

..and

Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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