Mcdonnell still displays tribute to IRA terrorists

JOHN MCDONNELL continues to display a plaque dedicated to Bobby Sands and other IRA terrorists who died during the 1981 hunger strikes, it has emerged.

Questions over the shadow chancellor’s support for the republican cause were raised again last night, after an image of the plaque commemorating the “Hblock Martyrs” in his private study was uploaded on social media.

The plaque was given to Mr Mcdonnell by Gerry Kelly, an IRA terrorist who was given two life sentences for his involvement in the Whitehall bombings of 1973.

The 10 inmates were all members of the IRA or the Irish National Liberation Army, with many of them convicted of bombings, shootings and terrorist offences during the Troubles.

Mr Mcdonnell’s plaque includes a tribute to Bobby Sands, the leader of the hunger strike, and Francis Hughes, who was found guilty of murdering a British soldier and was sentenced to 83 years in prison.

While Mr Mcdonnell has repeatedly denied he supported violence in Northern Ireland, last night Conservative MPS said he had revealed his “true colours”.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Andrew Percy MP said that the decision to display the plaque at home was typical of a “man who chose to side with IRA terrorists over British soldiers during the Troubles”.

He added: “It shows his casual approach to violence. It is worrying to think that this is the man who wants to occupy the second highest office in the land.”

Andrew Bridgen MP said it was a “truly chilling reminder” of where Mr Mcdonnell’s loyalties lay, adding: “after all he was nicknamed ‘quartermaster’ by the IRA themselves”.

Lord Tebbit, a former minister whose wife was paralysed during the 1984 Brighton Hotel bombing, said Mr Mcdonnell had been “caught out again”, adding that it confirmed the “closeness of IRA killers” to leading members of the Labour Party.

A spokesman for Mr Mcdonnell last night said the plaque had been given to him as a “gift” for his involvement in promoting “peaceful protests” aimed at bringing both sides together to end the bloodshed.