By Daniel Martin for the Daily Mail and Jack Elsom For Mailonline
Published: 22:58 BST, 26 May 2019 | Updated: 23:04 BST, 26 May 2019
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Labour's civil war erupted last night as hard-left union boss Len McCluskey accused Tom Watson of using Brexit to try to topple Jeremy Corbyn.
As the party tore itself apart over its stance on a second referendum, he branded Labour's deputy a 'poor imitation of Machiavelli'.
The party suffered large losses to Nigel Farage's Brexit Party as early Euro election results were announce tonight.
Mr Watson had claimed that Labour must come out strongly in favour of a second referendum, or face electoral oblivion.
However, shadow chancellor John McDonnell had insisted the party had been right to 'tread a really difficult road' of trying to bring Leave and Remain supporters back together by not committing to a People's Vote.
Mr McDonnell told Sky News his party was expecting 'a good kicking' in the Euro elections
And Mr McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union, hit out at Remainers demanding a second referendum.
'Tom Watson's already out, surprise surprise, trying to take on the role of Prince Machiavelli, but I've got news for Tom,' he said. 'Machiavelli was effective. He's a poor imitation of that.
'If he's trying to turn Labour members against Corbyn and in his favour, then he's going to lose
