Labour No2 Tom Watson urged to give back £500k Max Mosley donation after former F1 boss’s racism scandal
The unearthing of a far-right election leaflet published with Mr Mosley’s name is hugely embarrassing for Mr Watson
LABOUR deputy leader Tom Watson was last night urged to give back £500,000 donated to him by Max Mosley as the former F1 boss was embroiled in a racism scandal.
It is one of the largest donations ever handed out to a politician — and the unearthing of a far-right election leaflet published with Mr Mosley’s name is hugely embarrassing for Mr Watson.
The 1961 leaflet warns of the dangers of “coloured immigration” and Mr Watson is MP for West Bromwich East — where around 30 per cent of constituents are from ethnic minorities.
Last night Mr Watson, who has spoken of his pride at calling fellow Press regulation backer Mr Mosley a friend, would only say: “The views expressed by Max as a young man are not the views he holds now.”
But as the MP comes under pressure to return the cash, Labour party member Mick Lees from Kent tweeted: “Tom Watson should be ashamed at accepting his money.”
Last year, ITV political editor Robert Peston suggested during an interview that Mr Mosley, millionaire son of 1930s fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley, had “bought” Mr Watson’s “influence” through his donations.
When news of the donation emerged, Mr Watson said: “I’m proud to call Max Mosley a friend and I’m delighted he has made a financial contribution to Labour.”
Mr Mosley has previously defended his donations to Mr Watson, calling him a “very admirable politician”.
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The leaflet — unearthed in Manchester archives — was produced for far-right Union Movement candidate Walter Hesketh, for whom Mr Mosley was the election agent at the time.
It calls for Jamaican immigrants to be sent home and warns “coloured immigration threatens your children’s health by spreading diseases like leprosy, VD and TB”. Mr Mosley, 77, challenged Channel 4 presenter Cathy Newman after she asked if he had lied about the leaflet at his 2008 orgy trial against the News of the World.
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He said: “I wouldn’t dream of lying under oath. That’s a very offensive suggestion which you shouldn’t make.
“I’m not even sure it’s genuine but, if it is genuine, it doesn’t reflect my views today. I have never been a racist.”
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