Deputy leader of UK's main opposition slams move to oust him

A vote to oust the deputy leader of Britain's Labour Party will not take place Saturday following an intervention by Jeremy Corbyn, the party's leader.

Corbyn is instead proposing that Labour carry out a review of the role, currently held by lawmaker Tom Watson.

The proposal to get rid of the role of deputy has overshadowed the start of the party's annual conference in the southern England city of Brighton, and laid bare the divisions within the party over Corbyn's leadership, particularly on Brexit.

Watson told BBC radio that the attempt to oust him was akin to "a straight sectarian attack on a broad-church party" and that he believes his position on Brexit was behind the move to abolish his post.

On Friday, Jon Lansman, the founder of the pro-Corbyn grassroots Momentum group, proposed a motion to be discussed at Labour's conference for Watson's job to be scrapped.

Though that was ruled out of order, it was set to be discussed again Saturday.

Watson is a prominent supporter of a second Brexit referendum and is urging Labour to campaign for Britain to remain in the European Union in any further vote.