Lynch lore
John McDonnell refused to apologise for a 2014 interview in which he called for former employment minister Esther McVey to be ‘lynched’.
— Several Lynches have been credited for giving the term to the language. One was Charles Lynch (1736-96), a farmer, community leader and, remarkably, a Quaker from Lynchburg, Virginia (a town named after his brother John). Suspects were supposed to be sent 200 miles to Williamsburg for trial, but during the war of independence the journey became very difficult. Instead, Lynch and his neighbours dispensed justice themselves — although they did try to do it according to the law.
The richer list
McDonnell also said: ‘Our generation always thought that from here on there would always be a steady improvement in people’s living standards… successive Tory governments put an end to that.’ Which periods saw the most growth in real disposable household income per capita?
| 1987-92 (Conservative) | 20.0% |
| 1997-01 (Labour) | 16.0% |
| 1970-74 (Conservative) | 20.0% |
| 1983-87 (Conservative) | 14.7% |
| 1992-97 (Conservative) | 14.3% |
| 1974-79 (Labour) | 13.2% |
| 2001-05 (Labour) | 12.2% |
| 1966-70 (Labour) | 6.2% |
| 1979-83 (Conservative) | 6.1% |
| 2005-10 (Labour) | 3.8% |
| 2010-15 (Con-Lib Dem coalition) | 2.8% |
| Source:ONS | 1. |
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