Tom Watson launches investigation into why Labour lost votes to UKIP
A national investigation into why Labour lost supporters to UKIP has been launched by Black Country MP Tom Watson.
The West Bromwich East MP, one of five candidates running for the party's deputy leadership, wants to understand why the Eurosceptic party picked up votes that might otherwise have gone to Labour.
Although UKIP kept only one seat in Parliament, it won more than four million votes across the country.
Mr Watson said he had asked Labour peer Lord Kennedy to oversee conversations between party activists and voters to find out why the party lost support.
He said: "I've spoken to hundreds of members in a over a dozen seats in the last few weeks. They almost all tell me that Labour failed to deal with the UKIP threat early enough.
"Of the 50 seats where UKIP made biggest gains, 32 of them were Labour.
"Of course we needed to win back Labour supporters who voted Tory in May. But If we are to win we also have to understand why so many Labour suporters voted UKIP.
"So I want to do something about the UKIP threat.
"I have asked Lord Roy Kennedy to report on what Labour has to do to reconnect with the voters we lost to UKIP.
"Roy is one of our most experienced campaigners in Parliament. He will appoint advisors to the Kennedy Commission who will each be responsible for a different part of the country.
"The report will consist of input from at least 50 constituencies. The Commission intends to speak to UKIP supporters in face to face meetings."
