BACKING IRA FED BIGOTRY
McDonnell speaks candidly on his role in fostering sectarianism as he admits: BY TORCUIL CRICHTON
LABOUR’S John McDonnell has acknowledged his own role in fostering sectarianism – admitting that he was once part of the problem.
The Shadow Chancellor admitted his controversial history of support for the IRA must have contributed to religious divisions.
In his most revealing comments on his background yet, McDonnell said: “I suppose I am part of it really. We are all learning lessons about how we should live with each other and respect different traditions.”
McDonnell, who hopes to become the most left-wing Labour chancellor to enter 11 Downing Street, is still stalked by his past backing for the IRA.
Ahead of a weekend speech in Scotland, where sectarianism has been ramped up the political agenda following a spate of incidents around football matches, McDonnell expressed remorse for his comments.
He has previously apologised for saying that peace in Northern Ireland was achieved “because of the bravery of the IRA” including the actions of hungerstriker Bobby Sands.
He said: “I’ve apologised for some of the statements I’ve made in the past. You just have to understand that and appreciate it. And if you feel you have said something that was not appropriate or was wrong, it is best to hold your hand up.”
McDonnell, 67, said his experience of growing up as a Catholic in Liverpool had both shaped and changed his attitudes to bigotry.
He said: “If you look at my home town of Liverpool even as a young child, I remember the divisions in that city.
“Now these divisions have largely healed. There is a celebration of Irish culture, in all its aspects, in Liverpool. It gives me hope you can override these sectarian divisions.
“The way the Irish community has come together in Liverpool is an example to others and one I am quite proud of. People are willing to talk now in a way they did not in the past and I think it is the same in Scotland.
“That was the result of a lot of work, a combination of civic and religious leaders coming together. The two cathedrals in Liverpool do not stand for sectarianism any more. They stand for two churches bringing people and congregations together.”
As expected, the Shadow Chancellor condemned a decade of Tory austerity and accused the SNP Government of “transmitting” a Tory cuts agenda and failing to defend Scotland.
He said: “They have failed to use the tax powers properly. Go and ask local councils where the cuts are going through. Look at the SNP’s lack of investment in the economy, their failure to offset austerity.”
McDonnell hailed the schoolchildren strikers who campaigned for climate change and said any Government had to listen to the next generation and apply these lessons to the economy. He said: “What the kids are waking us up to is that if we don’t sort climate change, they will not be there.”
Ahead of the Scottish Labour conference, McDonnell bolstered Richard Leonard’s leadership with an endorsement comparing him to Jeremy Corbyn.
He said: “I’ve worked with Richard over the years. He is the sort of leader we need now. He is in the mould of Jeremy Corbyn, he is a consensus builder, he brings people together and he is a party builder. The new political party is a social movement for the new generation that is coming through rapidly.”
On independence, McDonnell displayed a surprising waitand-see attitude. He said: “We’ll
wait to see what Nicola Sturgeon does. The UK Parliament has to take a formal position and agreement on that.
“We’ve had no indiction of the timing of her approach on this.
“Of course we’ll take the views of our Scottish colleagues into account in Parliament and beyond.”
That sounded far more open that Leonard’s “no appetite for it” dismissal of a second referendum.
But McDonnell said: “Our attitude is that having another referendum, during Brexit, at a time when there is almost zero growth in the economy, is that we should be concentrating on the domestic agenda.
“Referendums liked this are a complete distraction for any Government in that situation where infant mortality is on the increase.”
Challenged, he denied that his stance contrasted strongly with Theresa May’s outright rejection of the SNP’s anticipated demand for Westminster to stage a second vote. Was he laying the ground for a possible Westminster deal with the Nationalists?
McDonnell answered: “When we win the next election, we will win with a sound majority. If we don’t, if we are a minority, we’ll set out our policies in a Queen’s Speech and we’ll drive it through and if other parties want to vote with us, all the better.”
He added: “There will be no negotiations with the SNP, that is the way we undermine the credibility of politics. We will be elected on our manifesto, will put forward our policies and if they do not go through, we will go back to the people.”
Going back to the people on a second EU referendum is something McDonnell was more opaque on.
He portrayed himself as playing a “unique role” of trying to bring all sides of the party and the Commons together. He expressed sadness at losing nine MPs but said their departure was to do with more than Brexit.
McDonnell said: “Some of them argued we were against a People’s Vote, it seems a futile gesture now we are for a People’s Vote.” He added: We’ve held together as a party and we will be able to block no deal but beyond that, a lot of it is in the hands of Theresa May. I think Brussels is willing now to negotiate with us on the basis that we represent a common sense approach to the whole thing. A customs union is one option that has been put forward that has the ability to protect jobs and the economy.”
But despite saying that ”he likes a good march” and endorses the policy of a second referendum it is unlikely that Labour’s Shadow Chancellor will be on the People’s Vote demonstration on March 23.
Constituency engagements, will prevent Labour’s strategic decision-maker from going on the big demo. His Hayes and Harlington constituency voted to leave, much to his surprise.
He may regret the Brexit division in his own backyard as much as these sectarian divides he grew up with in Liverpool and the split in Labour on the issue.
But experience has taught him how hard divisions are to heal.