It’s fair to say that shadow chancellor John McDonnell is no stranger to controversy, but last night he managed to outdo himself when he entered into the debate on Winston Churchill’s legacy.
At a Politico event, McDonnell was asked by the host, Jack Blanchard, whether Winston Churchill was a hero or a villain. After a dramatic pause, the shadow chancellor replied:
‘Tonypandy: villain’
McDonnell was referring to the Tonypandy industrial dispute, which took place in the coal mines of Rhondda, Wales. Churchill, who was then home secretary, took the controversial decision to send police and troops to quell the riots that were taking place there.
Watch the exchange here:
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