Tom Watson under fire after refusal to apologise for sex attack slur on Lord Brittan
LABOUR’S deputy leader Tom Watson was under increasing pressure last night to make an unqualified apology over the Leon Brittan sex investigation fiasco.
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The late politician’s brother called on Mr Watson to say sorry for the distress he caused the former Home Secretary and his widow.
Sir Samuel Brittan and Tory grandee Lord Lamont also condemned the Metropolitan Police for bungling the inquiry.
Sir Samuel, a distinguished financial journalist, said Mr Watson was guilty of making unfounded allegations and damaging his brother’s reputation.
After Lord Brittan’s death from cancer in January, Mr Watson repeated unsubstantiated claims from alleged victims saying the former Home Secretary was “as close to evil as any human being could get”.
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The words were from a complainant and Mr Watson admitted yesterday that he was wrong to repeat the phrase.
But he did not apologise. Writing on a news website, he said: “I have said in the past that I am sorry for the distress Leon Brittan’s family experienced as they grieved for him. I still am. But I wanted the claims made against him properly investigated.
“The choice facing anyone who is presented with testimony of this kind is whether to pass it to the authorities or to ignore it. I chose the first option. I felt it was my duty.”
Lord Lamont, a friend of Lord Brittan, said aspects of the case were “beyond satire”.
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Lord Lamont revealed police suggested Lord Brittan take part in an identity parade.
How could a well-known public person, already named and identified by his accuser, usefully take part in such a charade?
Writing in a national newspaper he said: “How could a well-known public person, already named and identified by his accuser, usefully take part in such a charade?”
London Mayor Boris Johnson has asked the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, to explain the “completely unacceptable” delay in telling Lady Brittan that a rape allegation against him could not be supported.
The Crown Prosecution Service decided in July 2013 that there was insufficient evidence to back up a claim that Lord Brittan raped a 19-year-old student in 1967.
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The case was reopened last year after Mr Watson wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Although seriously ill, detectives interviewed Lord Brittan under caution.
There were no grounds for further action but Lady Brittan was only told he was cleared last Tuesday when she received an apology for the delay.
