John McDonnell in last minute bid to sway voters by accusing media of lying about his sympathising with terrorists
But just last month he apologised for praising the IRA
JOHN MCDONNELL made a last minute bid to hoodwink voters today by accusing the media of lying about his and Jeremy Corbyn’s record of sympathising with terrorists.
The Shadow Chancellor made the remarkable claim that “all we’ve done throughout our lives is support peace and work for peace” and dismissed “mainstream media” reports that they supported terrorism as “fake news”.
But just last month he apologised for praising the IRA.
He was challenged over his comments from 2003 - when he said the “bombs and bullets and sacrifice made by the likes of Bobby Sands” had helped bring peace to Northern Ireland.
Tom Tugendhat, a former British Army officer and Tory candidate for Tonbridge, said he was confident voters would see through Mr McDonnell’s claims when they vote today.
He told The Sun: “Honouring those involved in the armed struggle and praising the use of the bomb and the bullets do not sound like the words of peacemakers to me.
“The British people are wise enough to recognise 30 years of supporting the IRA, Hamas, Hezbollah and many other violent groups around the world and to know the truth when they see it.”
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Mr McDonnell’s incendiary remarks came at an event remembering the deaths of IRA hunger-strikes in 2003. He told the audience: "It's about time we started honouring those people involved in the armed struggle. It was the bombs and bullets and sacrifice made by the likes of Bobby Sands that brought Britain to the negotiating table.
“The peace we have now is due to the action of the IRA. Because of the bravery of the IRA and people like Bobby Sands, we now have a peace process."
Challenged over the remarks last month, the leftie said: “I apologise for the language that I used.” But he caused outrage by adding: “No cause is worth the loss of an innocent life."
This led to accusations he was labelling British soldiers and police “legitimate targets” during The Troubles.
But as voters went to the polls today, Mr McDonnell made a desperate attempt to rewrite history.
He said: “Fake news is about the mainstream media telling lies about us. The worst lie is they’ve being accusing Jeremy and I of supporting terrorism, when all we’ve done throughout our lives is support peace, and work for peace”.
