Tom Watson: I deny any fixing plot

The West Bromwich East MP spoke exclusively to the Express & Star as he stood down from his key role in Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet.

And he revealed he had been considering his post for the past six months.

He also revealed that some members of the Labour party did not trust him and had not forgiven him after he tried to force Tony Blair from office in 2006.

He has been Labour's deputy chairman and the party's general election campaign co-ordinator since 2011.

But he said he had 'kept away' from the selection process in Falkirk in Scotland, where the Unite trade union has been accused of trying to rig the ballot to pick the party's general election candidate. And he said he had stood down because he was tired of travelling and wanted to concentrate on his constituency.

Mr Watson's office manager Karie Murphy was Unite's preferred choice and she has been suspended by the party along with another member in the Scottish constituency, Stephen Deans.

Mr Watson has previously shared a home in London with Unite general secretary Len McCluskey, who today said he had 'no trust' in the party's handling of the row. Mr Watson will stay on as an MP despite his decision to leave the shadow cabinet after almost two years. Dismissing the union fixing row Mr Watson said: "Falkirk is a typical row over a seat. I have kept away from it. I want the report into Falkirk to be published in full.

"Some people around the Falkirk issue felt my previous resignation with Tony Blair meant they couldn't trust my motives. But I want the party to win the next General Election. I don't want to be in the story. I've always been ambivalent about being on the front bench but after all that time on the road it was getting tiring."

He said he remained 'very good friends' with Labour leader Ed Miliband. He previously resigned as a minister under Gordon Brown in 2009 after false allegations that he had been involved in a plot to smear Tories. Prior to that he had controversially stood down as a junior defence minister under Tony Blair.

In his latest resignation letter he praised Mr Miliband and pledged his loyalty. Mr Watson was due back in West Bromwich this afternoon for a tree planting ceremony at Sandwell Hospital.

Tom Watson's full independence day resignation letter, as posted on his blog:

Ed Miliband MP

Leader of the Opposition

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

4nd July 2013

Dear Ed,

I said that I'd stay with you as general election co-ordinator within the Shadow Cabinet as long as I was useful. I think it would be a good idea for you, and me, if I stood down from the role now.

As you know, I offered my resignation on Tuesday and you asked me to reconsider. I've thought about it and still feel it is better for you and the future unity of the party that I go now. There are some who have not forgiven me for resigning in 2006. I fully accept the consequences of that decision and genuinely hope my departure allows the party to move on.

Yet it's not the unattributed shadow cabinet briefings around the mess in Falkirk that has convinced me that the arrangement has run its course (though they don't help). I believe that the report should be published – in full – and the whole truth told as soon as possible so that the record can be made clear. I've still not seen the report but believe there are an awful lot of spurious suppositions being written.

I wish to use the backbenches to speak out in areas of personal interest: open government and the surveillance state, the digital economy, drones and the future of conflict, the child abuse inquiries, the aftermath of the Murdoch scandal and grass roots responses to austerity.

Having resigned a couple of times before, I know how puckish lobby hacks might choose to misconstrue the departure. So to make it harder for them let me say this: I'm proud of your Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve. I remain your loyal servant. I'll always be on hand to help you if you need me. I just don't think you need me in the Shadow Cabinet any more. After nearly thirty years of this, I feel like I've seen the merry-go-round turn too many times. Whereas the Shadow Cabinet's for people who still want to get dizzy.

You have it in you to be an outstanding Labour Prime Minister. The road ahead is always rocky but I will be with you all of the way, cheering you on from the backbenches. You're my friend and leader, and I'm going to do all I can to make sure you win in 2015.

Here's my parting thought:

John Humphrys asked me why you were not at Glastonbury this weekend. I said Labour leaders can't be seen standing in muddy fields listening to bands. And then I thought how terribly sad that this is true. So: be that great Labour leader that you can be, but try to have a real life too. And if you want to see an awesome band, I recommend Drenge.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Watson

Member of Parliament for West Bromwich East