John MCDonnell defends comments about Tory minister being 'lynched'

Just hours after Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for an end to personal abuse, his biggest ally John McDonnell has defended comments made about a former Tory minister being lynched and his description of her as a “stain on humanity”.

Ex-MP Esther McVey was sitting nearby when Mr McDonnell refused to back down over the comments he once made about her, something which later sparked outrage from Labour’s Yvette Cooper who demanded the shadow chancellor apologise.

Mr McDonnell was on ITV’s Peston programme on Sunday when he was asked about the comments made during a comedy night in 2014.

It was reported at the time that he repeated words, said by people angry at government policy, which called for Ms McVey to be lynched.

He admitted that he had sometimes “gone too far” in criticism of opponents, but insisted it was better to be honest about his views.

He said: “I was angry. Sometimes you need to express honest anger and that was about what this last government was doing to people with disabilities. It was appalling, to be frank, and sometimes it is better to be honest about how you feel.

“At times, in Parliament in particular, it means using strong language but, actually, if it reflects your honest views, I think it is better to be honest than it is to be in any way deceptive.”

Only yesterday, Mr Corbyn said in his victory speech following a leadership contest riddled with claims of abuse and bullying, that personal attacks had “no place” in the Labour party.

Speaking later on Peston, Ms Cooper said: “[Mr McDonnell] should have apologised. He should absolutely have apologised.

“The idea of saying that a woman MP, as Esther was at the time, should be lynched, it’s just wrong.”

Ms Cooper called on Mr McDonnell and Mr Corbyn to use their social media accounts to challenge people who are being abusive.