Tom Watson, Baron Watson of Wyre Forest facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Lord Watson of Wyre Forest
Official portrait, 2023
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
In office 12 September 2015 – 12 December 2019
Leader	Jeremy Corbyn
Preceded by	Harriet Harman
Succeeded by	Angela Rayner
Minister of State for Digital Engagement and Civil Service Issues
In office 25 January 2008 – 5 June 2009
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	Gillian Merron
Succeeded by	Dawn Butler
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Veterans
In office 5 May 2006 – 6 September 2006
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Don Touhig
Succeeded by	Derek Twigg
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Life peerage
Assumed office 21 November 2022
Member of Parliament for West Bromwich East
In office 7 June 2001 – 6 November 2019
Preceded by	Peter Snape
Succeeded by	Nicola Richards
Government whip offices 2007–2008 Assistant Whip 2005–2006 Lord Commissioner 2004–2005 Assistant Whip
Shadow cabinet portfolios 2016–2019 Digital, Culture, Media and Sport 2015–2017 Party Chair 2015–2016 Cabinet Office 2011–2013 Deputy Party Chair 2011–2013 National Campaign Coordinator
Personal details
Born	Thomas Anthony Watson (1967-01-08) 8 January 1967 (age 58) Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Siobhan Corby ​ ​ (m. 2000; sep 2012)​
Children	2
Alma mater	University of Hull
Signature

Thomas Anthony Watson, Baron Watson of Wyre Forest (born 8 January 1967) is a British politician. He was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2019. He also served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for West Bromwich East from 2001 to 2019. Since 2022, he has been a member of the House of Lords.

Tom Watson was born in Sheffield and grew up in Kidderminster. He studied at the University of Hull. While there, he became active in the Labour Party and trade unions. He was even the head of the National Organisation of Labour Students for a year.

After university, he worked in marketing and advertising. Later, he started working full-time for the Labour Party. This included helping with their election campaign in 1997. He then worked for a large trade union.

Early Life and Education

Tom Watson was born in Sheffield, England. He went to King Charles I School in Kidderminster. He started working at the Labour Party's main office when he was 17.

He later went to the University of Hull. There, he was very active in student politics. He became the President of the Students' Union in 1992. From 1992 to 1993, he led the National Organisation of Labour Students.

In 1993, he returned to work for the Labour Party. He helped with their national youth development. He also worked on the party's election campaign in 1997. After that, he became a political officer for a trade union.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Tom Watson was first elected as an MP for West Bromwich East in 2001. This meant he represented the people of that area in the UK Parliament. From 2001 to 2003, he was part of the Home Affairs Select Committee. This committee looks at issues like policing and immigration.

In 2004, he won an award for being one of the first MPs to use a blog. He used his blog to connect with people and share information.

Roles in Government

In September 2004, Tom Watson became an assistant government whip. Whips help make sure MPs vote the way their party wants. In May 2006, he was promoted to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Veterans. In this role, he helped ensure soldiers from the First World War received pardons.

Watson in 2009

He later resigned from this role in September 2006. He returned as a government whip in July 2007. This was after Gordon Brown became Prime Minister. From 2008 to 2009, he was a Minister for Digital Engagement. He worked to make government information more available online. He also supported the use of open-source software.

Opposition Roles

After Labour left government, Tom Watson continued to hold important roles. In October 2011, he became the Labour Party's National Campaign Coordinator. He also became the Deputy Chair of the Labour Party. He helped run Labour's election campaigns.

In July 2013, he resigned from these positions. In 2013, he supported a campaign for a public vote on Britain's membership in the European Union.

Deputy Leader of the Labour Party

Watson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn at the 2016 Labour Party Conference

In May 2015, after the general election, Tom Watson decided to run for Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. He was the first person to announce his intention to run. Many MPs supported his nomination.

On 12 September 2015, he was elected as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. He worked alongside the new leader, Jeremy Corbyn. He was also made the Chair of the Labour Party.

In October 2016, he became the Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. In this role, he looked at issues like TV licensing and fair ticketing for sports fans. He also called for a review of how the NHS treats gambling addiction.

In September 2019, Tom Watson suggested that Labour should become a party that strongly supports remaining in the European Union. He believed this would help win back voters. However, Jeremy Corbyn said Labour would continue to represent both sides of the debate.

Resignation and Later Career

On 6 November 2019, Tom Watson announced he would step down as an MP. He also resigned as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. He said his reasons were personal. He stated he wanted to continue working on health issues.

After leaving Parliament, he took on new roles. In March 2020, he became the chair of UK Music. This organization represents the music industry in the UK. In September 2020, he became an adviser on problem gambling for Flutter Entertainment. This company runs several UK gambling businesses.

He also wrote a book called "Downsizing" (2020). In 2021, he presented a TV documentary called "Giving Up Sugar for Good." This documentary shared his personal journey of losing weight and improving his health.

Becoming a Peer

In October 2022, it was announced that Tom Watson would receive a life peerage. This means he would become a member of the House of Lords for life. On 21 November 2022, he was given the title Baron Watson of Wyre Forest.

Personal Life

Tom Watson married Siobhan Corby in 2000. They had two children together before they separated in 2012.

In September 2018, Tom Watson shared that he had been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. However, he explained that he had improved his health through diet and exercise. He lost a lot of weight and put his condition into remission.

Tom Watson enjoys playing video games. He has even reviewed games for magazines. He finds gaming relaxing. He is also a fan of alternative rock music. He likes bands like Drenge and artists like Billy Bragg.

Images for kids

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  Tom Watson's signature