John McDonnell criticises parties ‘getting into bed’ with Lib Dems

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell speaks to supporters whilst on campaign trail in Liverpool. PA Photo. Picture date: Thursday November 7, 2019. See PA story POLITICS Election Labour. Photo credit should read: Jacob King/PA Wire - Credit: PA

The shadow chancellor of the exchequer has hit out against the Unite to Remain pact formed by the major pro-Remain parties in England and Wales.

At a speech outlining Labour’s economic vision for the country, John McDonnell said: “We’re going to transform this economical system so it works for everyone and not just a small elite. And this issue of pacts, lets be clear, we’re going to form a majority Labour government.”

Unite to Remain is an ‘unprecedented’ cross-party bid to ensure voters only have one remain candidate in the constituencies, according to the chair Heidi Allen.

Responding to a question from the Guardian about the possibility of a hung parliament and why Labour didn’t join any such pacts, McDonnell said: “We don’t need any pacts.”

He went on to warn those who joined the Unite to Remain pact about ‘getting into bed’ with the Lib Dems,

“I’d just say this to those Greens and others who are getting into bed with the Lib Dems – I remember what the Lib Dems did when they were in government,” he said.

“I say to those go and ask any disabled person in this country who went through the brutality of the work capability assessment. Go and ask some of the families of disabled people who never survived as a result of that.

“We will never enter pacts, coalitions or deals like that. We will go into government.”

Responding to McDonnell’s claims, the Liberal Democrats Sal Brinton said: “All of us feel very, very hard for our Remain colleagues in the Labour party. But Labour stands for Brexit in this election.”