Labour’s John McDonnell describes violent student riots as ‘the best of our movement’ in damning footage
The Shadow Chancellor was filmed telling union activists that 'one small spark' of tuition fee protests led to further demos
JOHN McDonnell has described violent student riots as “the best of our movement” in damning video footage.
The shadow Chancellor was filmed telling union activists that “one small spark” of tuition fee protests at Tory HQ in central London in November 2010 led to further demonstrations.
He described the students’ actions as “kicking the **** out of Millbank” referring to the Westminster building.
The senior Labour figure was captured just over a year later at a Unite The Resistance emergency meeting that support was “still there”.
He also defended jailed student Ed Woollard at another rally in 2011 even though he hurled a fire extinguisher from the roof receiving a 32-month jail term saying he had been “victimised” by education cuts.
McDonnell, who has previously praised the IRA, has also backed anarchist “insurrections” designed to bringing down the government.
Mr McDonnell’s spokesman said the “best of” comment was “clearly tongue in cheek and taken out of context”.