NEW Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell last night finally apologised “from the bottom of his heart” for saying the IRA should be honoured for their armed struggle.
In a desperate bid to calm fury over his appointment, he said 2003’s inflammatory remarks were a “mistake” and added: “My choice of words was wrong.”
Speaking on BBC Question Time, the Labour leftie added he was also sorry for “joking” five years ago that he would have assassinated Maggie Thatcher if he could go back through time. And in a night of climbdowns, he insisted Jeremy Corbyn “normally” does sing the national anthem.
The apology over the IRA came a day after DUP chief Nigel Dodds said Mr McDonnell should be “ashamed” for saying the bombs and bullets of the IRA were crucial in bringing Britain to the negotiating table.
Mr McDonnell insisted the IRA remarks had been designed to help the peace process and that he had urged the terrorists to end their struggle.
But in an argument that will still alarm Unionists, he said that if his comments at the time had helped save one life, “it was worth doing”. He claimed: “I had to use the language Republicans understood.”
He also backed leader Mr Corbyn following the outrage over his silence during the National Anthem at a Battle of Britain memorial. Mr McDonnell said: “I said afterwards, ‘Why didn’t you sing?’. He said ‘Actually I normally do’.”
Hours earlier leader Mr Corbyn was forced to rule out Labour ever campaigning to leave the European Union — five days after suggesting it was possible.