Johnson attacks Labour Churchill slur
PM says public will reach their own judgment as shadow chancellor refuses to rescind his comments
Boris Johnson has claimed that Labour’s John Mcdonnell, the shadow chancellor, has become “detached from reality” after describing Winston Churchill as a “villain” because he ordered troops to shoot at striking miners in 1910. The former foreign secretary denied shots were fired. He said Mr Mcdonnell had “zero common sense”, and that were it not for Churchill, the people of Europe would have been subjugated to an anti-semitic regime.
THERESA MAY condemned John Mcdonnell for calling Winston Churchill a “villain” as the shadow chancellor yesterday repeated his criticism of the former prime minister.
Mr Mcdonnell sparked an outcry with his remark, but yesterday refused to resile from what he said, claiming it was “tongue in cheek” and designed to “provoke” a “bored” audience.
He insisted he would say the same thing again and argued Churchill was not someone working class people in the early 20th century “looked up to”.
Mr Mcdonnell’s initial comment was seized upon by Downing Street as Mrs May lavished praise on the wartime leader, who has previously been recognised as the greatest ever Briton.
Mrs May, who has a portrait of Churchill in her Downing Street study, said the public “will reach its own judgment” on Mr Mcdonnell’s remark.
Her official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has quoted and referenced Sir Winston Churchill on many occasions and acknowledged him as one of the great prime ministers of the 20th century. His strong leadership, determination and unwavering personality inspired our country through our darkest hour and helped Britain protect those values of peace and freedom that we hold so dear today.”
Mr Mcdonnell was asked at an event run by the Politico website on Wednes- day evening: “Winston Churchill – hero or villain?”
He replied: “Tonypandy. Villain.” His comment was a reference to a demonstration by striking Welsh miners in the town of Tonypandy in 1910 that was broken up by police using truncheons. Churchill, who was home secretary at the time, was alleged to have authorised soldiers to fire on protesters during a riot that followed days later – a claim he always denied.
Mr Mcdonnell defended his “villain” comment yesterday and said: “It was a bit tongue-in-cheek at the end of an inconversation session, and the audience I think was getting a bit bored, so I needed to provoke them a bit.
“Churchill was obviously a hero during the Second World War, but there is another side to Churchill in our history, which is the side in which actually many working-class people at the time and well into the Forties and Fifties were angry about his behaviour. He sent the troops into Tonypandy to shoot the miners. A miner died, others were injured. It was to break a strike.”
Asked how he would answer the question again, he told ITV: “The same, because when you have these things you have got to be honest, but in addition you don’t want to upset people, but you have got to be honest.”
The shadow chancellor was backed by a number of high-profile supporters of Jeremy Corbyn, but many Labour and Tory MPS criticised him.
Andrea Leadsom, the Commons Leader, said: “Someone calling Sir Winston Churchill a villain is in effect denigrating the achievements of a man who led this country to potentially its greatest ever contribution to global peace.
“It is a great shame that he was described in this way.”