After Guido reported Tom Watson had spoken with the source of the Whittingdale dominatrix revelations “in detail” prior to publication, Watson felt the need to distance himself. First Robert Peston was briefed that Watson had told the Sunday People not to publish. Then he went on the record:

“I was very clear that he had a right to privacy and that as far as I could see there was no public interest in the story, although it was not for me to decide.”

Is this the whole truth?

Natalie Rowe, the story’s original source who spoke with Watson, says otherwise. In response to the above quote, Rowe claims Watson privately took a very different view:

Curiously Rowe then says she has been “advised” not to talk about Watson. She goes on to accuse him of “lies“.

Surely Watson couldn’t have had more involvement than he let on…

It’s not like he fell out with Whittingdale after their run ins on the CMS committee. Or that Rowe’s story ended up on Byline, a site with which Watson is friendly. How odd that the recollection of Labour’s deputy leader differs so significantly from that of the source…