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John McDonnell Quotes

John Martin McDonnell is a British politician who served as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2015 to 2020. A member of the Labour Party, he has been Member of Parliament for Hayes and Harlington since 1997.

McDonnell served as chair of the Socialist Campaign Group in Parliament and Labour Representation Committee; he also chaired the Public Services Not Private Profit Group. He is also parliamentary convenor of the Trade Union Co-ordinating Group of eight left-wing trade unions representing over half a million workers. McDonnell attempted to stand for the position of Labour Party leader following Tony Blair's resignation in 2007, but failed to get enough nominations. He was a candidate for the party leadership again in 2010 following Gordon Brown's resignation after Labour's electoral defeat, but withdrew in favour of Diane Abbott, feeling that he would be unable to secure enough nominations.Alongside Jeremy Corbyn, McDonnell has been seen as a key figure on the left-wing of the party. After being elected Labour leader in 2015, Corbyn appointed McDonnell to his Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. As Shadow Chancellor, McDonnell pledged to increase spending on infrastructure and research, describing his vision for the economy as "socialism with an iPad". Wikipedia  

✵ 8. September 1951
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John McDonnell: 13   quotes 0   likes

Famous John McDonnell Quotes

“We can't say to people 'Labour wants you to share in the running of your workplace, your community and your environment, but we don't trust you to have the final say over Brexit.'”

John McDonnell

Source: Labour Party conference: McDonnell promises 32-hour working week https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49798357 BBC News (23 September 2019)

“My view is that you'd put the deal to the people, but you'd have to also have the option of the status quo. Deep in my heart, I'm still a Remainer, but I've got to try and bring together effectively what is a British compromise.”

John McDonnell

Source: Brexit: PM and Corbyn holding meeting over cross-party talks https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48271650 BBC News (14 May 2019)

“The values of Catholicism are the inherent values of the Labour Party and the inherent values of socialism...”

John McDonnell

Source: https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/11399/john-mcdonnell-acknowledges-debt-to-catholicism The Tablet (21 February 2019)

“Therefore now in the national interest we have got to come together and secure a compromise. If we can't do that, well yes, we have to go back to the people.”

John McDonnell

Source: Brexit: Labour plan can get majority, says John McDonnell https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47170369 BBC News (8 February 2019)

“My fear is that if we did have another referendum, we might get the same or similar result and the country will still be divided. Somehow we have got to try and bring the country back together again.”

John McDonnell

Source: Labour could form minority government without election - McDonnell https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46288429 BBC News (21 November 2018)

“There are enough sensible people in the House of Commons to say 'this cannot happen, we cannot damage our country in this way.'”

John McDonnell

Source: MPs can stop no-deal Brexit, says Labour's McDonnell https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41627340 BBC News (15 October 2017)

John McDonnell Quotes about people

“When Britain leaves the European Union, free movement of labour and people will then come to an end.”

John McDonnell

Source: EU referendum result must be respected, says John McDonnell https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36680463 BBC News (1 July 2016)

“I think people out there in the real world, our constituents, just want us to get on with the job of getting the best deal possible for them”

John McDonnell

Source: EU referendum: Corbyn tells activists 'I did all I could' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36628305 BBC News (25 June 2016)

“Inevitably in this century we will have open borders. We are seeing it in Europe already. The movement of peoples across the globe will mean that borders are almost going to become irrelevant by the end of this century so we should be preparing for that and explaining why people move.”

John McDonnell

Source: Borderless world inevitable, says Labour's John McDonnell https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35455023 BBC News (31 January 2016)

John McDonnell Quotes

“We should not pretend the referendum result can be undone.”

John McDonnell

Source: John McDonnell says Tories want 'bankers' Brexit' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37782041 BBC News (27 October 2016)

“We have to respect the decision that was made in the referendum ... otherwise, to be frank, we undermine all confidence in our democratic process.”

John McDonnell

Source: EU referendum result must be respected, says John McDonnell https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36680463 BBC News (1 July 2016)

Decision , Confidence

“It's time to turn this debate around, drive out politics of despair and offer a vision for Britain in Europe.”

John McDonnell

Source: John McDonnell criticises EU vote campaign 'negativity' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36310486 BBC News (17 May 2016)

Despair , Time

“I would swim through vomit to vote against this bill. And listening to some of the nauseating speeches in support of it, I might have to.”

John McDonnell

Source: A profile of John McDonnell - new shadow chancellor https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34245371 BBC News (14 September 2015)

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