Tom Watson defends Sadiq Khan's right to share platform with Tories in EU referendum campaign

Labour’s deputy leader said, however, that he personally would not follow the example of London mayor Sadiq Khan and share a platform with David Cameron in the EU referendum campaign

Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, said it was up to Sadiq Khan who he wanted to share a platform with (AFP/Getty)

Labour politicians can make their own choices about whether to share platforms with Conservatives campaigning for a Remain vote in the EU referendum, Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson has said, after the Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said that to do so could "discredit" the party.

But Mr Watson said he personally would not follow the example of London mayor Sadiq Khan and share a platform with David Cameron in the referendum campaign.

Mr Khan’s appearance alongside the Prime Minister at an EU campaign event on Monday has proved controversial with the Labour leadership. Mr McDonnell said at a campaign event on the same day that sharing platforms with Conservatives "discredits us" and "demotivates the very people we are trying to mobilise".

Commenting on the row on BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme, Mr Watson said: "I think Labour politicians have got to make their choices on this. I would never share a platform with David Cameron or George Osborne on this because it might be that we share each other’s view that people should [back] Remain, but our reasons for saying ‘Remain’ are very different."

A spokesman for Mr McDonnell said his comments were not aimed at Mr Khan, while Mr Khan’s office said the London mayor "won’t miss a single opportunity" to set out Labour’s position on the referendum, adding that it was "deeply concerning" that polls show that half of Labour voters do not know where the party stands.

Mr Watson said he shared concerns about the lack of awareness about the party’s position

"There is no doubt that we need to redouble our efforts to let those people who are undecided and don’t know what our position is, be very clear that the Labour party wants our supporters to [back] Remain because we think that’s where British workers’ interests lie," he said.

Mr Watson also called on Mr Cameron to ban hedge funds from trying to cash in on the EU referendum.

He urged the prime minister to intervene following reports that big bets by high-rolling hedge funds on the day of the European Referendum vote, based on privately-commissioned polls, could prompt major moves in financial markets – giving the UK public a indication of how things are likely to turn out well before the result is officially announced.

A number of financial firms hope to use this information to place big and informed bets on the outcome of the vote.