John McDonnell ordered to apologise after standing by claims former Tory minister Esther McVey should be ‘lynched’

LABOUR hopes for unity were smashed John McDonnell was ordered to apologise for standing by claims a former female Tory Minister should be lynched over austerity.

A visibly upset Yvette Cooper said it was a disgrace, and the Shadow Chancellor had to stamp out abuse threatening to tear the party apart.

It followed Mr McDonnell's refusal to back down over his 2014 claims that Esther McVey was a “stain on humanity”.

He said it was right for politicians to use powerful language to make a point and express “honest anger”.

Mrs McVey sat on and watched his say voters were fed up of spin and wanted politicians who "speak the truth" as they both appeared on ITV’s Peston on Sunday.

Mr McDonnell had talked about calls for the former disabilities minister to be lynched when he made the attack during a comedy night in 2014.

He said he had sometimes "gone too far" in criticism of opponents but insisted it was better to be honest about his views.

The key Jeremy Corbyn ally said: "I was angry. Sometimes you need to express honest anger and that was about what this last government was doing to people with disabilities.

"It was appalling, to be frank, and sometimes it is better to be honest about how you feel.

"At times, in Parliament in particular, it means using strong language but, actually, if it reflects your honest views, I think it is better to be honest than it is to be in any way deceptive.

"I think it is about making sure you express your views honestly and fairly as well, that's the most important thing.

"People have had enough of spin and triangulation. What they want is politicians who speak the truth."

But a shaken Ms Cooper said: "It's not ok. It's really not ok. He should absolutely have apologised.

“The idea of saying a woman MP should be lynched is just wrong.

“People sometimes say things they regret, just apologise for them.

“I want Jeremy and John to be using their social media accounts to challenge people who create this abuse.”

And Esther McVey also hit back on the same show, claiming: "This is a man who links violence with politics. He whips up that culture we’ve been seeing on Twitter or Facebook.

“He has complete disdain for MPs who don’t agree with him in his or other parties. Momentum is only for militants."

While on the same show Labour MP Tristram Hunt said: "Yvette is totally right there has to be an apology for that kind of language but also as Yvette said to make sure they use their so media accounts to make sure they are clamping down on this."