Tom Watson MP applauded for Leveson inquiry role

Around 1,000 delegates and guests at the GMB annual congress in Brighton had already given full backing to two motions attacking the "appalling and shabby level" of the scandal.

Mr Watson, who had addressed last year's congress just before the major developments surrounding the issue, outlined the progress of the campaign, especially the Leveson inquiry, and promised "there is a lot, lot more to come."

GMB president Mary Turner later said that Mr Watson could not go into details because there were legal issues involved.

The MP also outlined the massive pressure that has been put on him and his family over the years since he began uncovering the sleaze surrounding the Murdoch empire. It was no fun, he told the congress, to be on the end of the Murdochs "spluttering, snarling and spitting hatred."

He added: "There have been some dark and very lonely nights since News International started coming for me personally and it is only through the support of my friends and family that I have kept going."

He said when Labour got back into power it would have to rebuild Britain "brick by brick and community by community."

Earlier, new Labour Party general secretary Iain McNicol got great applause and backing despite the underlying feeling of criticism of the party at the congress.

Delegates welcomed the former GMB official's pledge to reform and refocus the party.

He vowed that Labour will be out on the streets during the next TUC demonstration.

In fact, he said, leader Ed Miliband had led the party with "great nerve and skill."

Mr McNicol also called for more working-class people to be put forward as parliamentary candidates in general elections.

He said recent electoral defeats for Labour had come from the party "failing to listen and connect and because it had ceased to be properly anchored in the community."

newsed@peoples-press.com