McDonnell stands by as protester says the PM must shoot herself
JOHN McDONNELL was condemned last night after he shared a stage with an extremist who called on Theresa May to “shoot herself”.
The shadow chancellor was speaking on the same platform as a far-Left campaigner who used his vitriolic speech in London’s Trafalgar Square to launch a rant against the Prime Minister.
Video footage of the People’s Assembly rally showed Mr McDonnell standing on the improvised stage at the base of Nelson’s Column while the raging activist spoke out.
At no point did Mr McDonnell attempt to intervene as crowds cheered the speaker’s repeated demands that Mrs May
“shoots herself”.
Mr McDonnell has still not apologised for saying in 2014 that former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey should be lynched.
He claims he was simply quoting another activist.
Just days after MPs called for security arrangements to be beefed up around Parliament because of a perceived increase of threats to their lives, yesterday’s Trafalgar Square outrage has sparked fresh alarm.
The activist said: “She [Mrs May] has asked working class organisations what she should do. My advice to her is very simple – shoot yourself.”
Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis hit out at Mr McDonnell for apparently condoning the actions of the activist.
He said: “To see the shadow Chancellor applauding violent language is disturbing. John McDonnell should apologise and condemn these words.”
However a spokesman for Mr McDonnell said: “The shadow Chancellor does not condone this language.”
A Labour source said: “We