Diane due on Question Time? Oh no she isn’t!
Labour farce as McDonnell ousts Abbott for TV show, sends ally in his place... then BBC snub HIM
SENIOR Labour MPs Diane Abbott and John McDonnell were in a furious row over which of them appeared on television after Philip Hammond’s Autumn Statement, it was claimed last night.
There were farcical scenes when Ms Abbott, Jeremy Corbyn’s former lover, was banned from going on BBC Question Time after a complaint from Shadow Chancellor Mr McDonnell’s allies, sources said.
After ousting Ms Abbott, Mr McDonnell did not turn up, claiming he was ‘unwell’. Instead, he sent little-known Left-wing MP Andrew Gwynne in his place.
But when Mr Gwynne arrived at the BBC studio, he was bumped off in favour of Blairite Labour MP Chris Leslie – an arch enemy of Mr McDonnell. Mr Leslie was replaced as Shadow Chancellor by Mr McDonnell when Mr Corbyn became leader and has remained a thorn in the leadership’s side ever since.
Party insiders said the extraordinary four-way stand-off reflected the growing disarray in Labour’s Commons ranks.
‘McDonnell’s people blew a fuse when they heard Abbott was going on the BBC’s flagship politics show in the week of the autumn financial statement,’ said a Labour source.
‘Their view was it was a no-brainer that he had to go on the show because he knows a darned sight more about economics than she does and they were not prepared to see her steal the limelight.’
According to one Labour MP, Ms Abbott, the Shadow Home Secretary, would have been fine on the programme. ‘She has far more expe- rience at high-profile TV shows and is a much better media performer than John – that is why TV companies are always asking her to appear,’ the MP said.
After Ms Abbott agreed to stand down, Mr McDonnell missed the programme, telling the BBC that he was not well. Mr McDonnell’s office sent low profile Shadow Cabinet member Mr Gwynne, in his place. But when he arrived at the BBC, he discovered Labour moderate Mr Leslie, a Minister in Tony Blair’s government, had got there before him, having been invited by the BBC.
A well-placed source said: ‘It was embarrassing. Leslie said he was going and Gwynne said he had been sent by the Labour Party, so it must be him.’
A BBC insider said: ‘The reason we went for Leslie is that none of us had heard of Gwynne. The internal wranglings of the Labour Party are nothing to do with us.’
Mr Leslie has been an outspoken critic of the Labour leadership. He has said Mr Corbyn had his ‘fingers in his ears’ with regard to mounting criticism, adding: ‘If they think this is doing well, I would hate to see what doing badly looks like.’
Mr Leslie and Mr McDonnell clashed two months ago when Mr Leslie said the party would have to double income tax, council tax and VAT to pay for its policies.
A BBC spokesman said last night: ‘Following Mr McDonnell’s late withdrawal, the programme team spoke to a number of potential Labour contributors and were pleased that Chris Leslie agreed to take part at such short notice.’
A spokesman for Ms Abbott denied there had been any row with Mr McDonnell, insisting she had agreed to pull out of the programme.